FARMINGTON, N.M. — Martha Paulson died in her home in Farmington, N.M. Nov. 10, 2007 after a month-long hospital stay. She was born in Havlocke, Neb. Oct. 1, 1923 to Max and Gladys Hockley. Growing up during the Depression, she went to 17 different schools before she graduated high school in Bishop, Calif. Martha earned a nursing degree from St. Luke’s in Denver in 1945 and returned to Ridgway, Colo., a place her grandfather homesteaded.
Martha met Lyle Barrett in Ridgway while in nursing school and married him after he returned from WWII duty in the Pacific. She worked at the Ouray hospital doing everything from helping deliver babies to riding mine tram buckets to provide medical help for injured miners. Martha and Lyle owned and operated Sunset Corner which consisted of a gas station, cafe, motel and welding shop. They had two children, Elaine and Ken.
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Martha retired to Tucson, Ariz. in 1984 where she grew to love the Sonoran desert. She spent summers in Durango enjoying the outdoors and took trips to Hawaii, and what she called “the trip of a lifetime,” to Alaska. Martha lived in Tucson for 22 years before returning to Farmington in 2005 to be closer to family.
She held a lifelong passion for nursing that carried over into being a compassionate caregiver for many family members and friends. Her sense of community and family were unsurpassed as her heart and home were always open.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband Lyle, and sisters Shirley Charles and Margueritte Kelso.
She is survived by daughter Elaine and son-in law Gary Brown of Durango, son Ken Barrett and daughter-in-law Joan of Farmington, daughter Dawn Michelle Paulson and fiancé Paul Atkinson and daughters Alexis, Amanda and Arielle of Cave Creek, Ariz.; grandson Justin Barrett and his wife Kim of Missoula, Mont. and granddaughter Kendra and her husband Adrian Vega of Albuquerque, N.M.; five nieces and one nephew.
The family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to Ermalinda Begaye, Charlotte Collins, and Alvina Cayetineto. We are indebted to your care and friendship. A special thank you to Dr. Alden Dykstra and the cardiac staff at San Juan Regional Medical Center, Farmington, N.M. for their exceptional care during Martha’s last days.
A memorial service will be held at the Ridgway Community Church on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 2 p.m. with interment to follow at Valley Lawn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: La Plata County Humane Society, PO Box 2164, Durango CO 81302 or your charity of choice.
Visit our website, sign the online register and send condolences to her family at www.sunsetmesafuneraldirectors.com. Arrangements are being handled under the care, direction and have been entrusted to Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors 155 Merchant Dr., Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 240-9870.
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