Wanda Koshak Obituary

Longtime Durango resident Wanda June Koshak died Tuesday, July 26, 2011, in Durango. She was 90.

Known as "June," she was born to Cyrus and Fannie Dillard on June 7, 1921, in Longmont. She was one of 13 children and grew up on the family farm in Boulder County.

She worked at the restaurants at the Strater Hotel, Western Steakhouse and Chief Diner and ran her own restaurant, the Dinner Bell in the Durango area since arriving in 1955. Her family said she made the best pecan pies in La Plata County.

After retiring from the restaurant business, Mrs. Koshak took up painting, long and cross stitch and pottery.

"Arthritis eventually tempered her talents," her family wrote, "but her family all still proudly display her works."

She was an avid reader with a broad taste. Mrs. Koshak loved to hit the penny slots at Sky Ute Casino, her family said.

She married James Dean Burns in the Denver area and had five children. The marriage ended in divorce after 17 years.

Mrs. Koshak packed up her kids in Denver and headed for California in 1955. She always said she "stubbed her toe" when she made it as far as Durango and met her second husband, Stanley R. Koshak. They were married in 1956 in Durango and had two children together. The marriage ended in divorce in 1976.

Mrs. Koshak celebrated her 90th birthday last month surrounded by her family.

Mrs. Koshak was preceded in death by her youngest daughter Tamara Sue Koshak; and former husbands James Dean Burns and Stanley R. Koshak.

She is survived by her sons Robert "Bob" Bell Burns of Durango and Stanley Joseph Koshak of Ester, Alaska; daughters Sharon "Sherry" June Herrboldt of Bayfield, Nancy Jane Johnson of Durango, Verna "Wendy" Marie McMillan of Delta and Fannie Kay Norby of Moses Lake, Wash.; sisters Eunice Shephard and Betty Stanton, both of Longmont, Darlene Moser of Tulsa, Okla., Ruby Madison of Lancaster, Calif., and Jane Wagner of Norfolk, Neb.; 20 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 30, 2011, at Greenmount Cemetery. Mrs. Koshak's nephew the Rev. Kenny Arnold will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Shriner's Hospital for Children, Fairfox Road and Virginia Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84103; the American Cancer Society, District II-Southwest Colorado, 1800 East Third Ave, Suite 101, Durango, CO 81301; or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, P.O. Box 4527, New York, NY 10163.