MONTROSE — Bonita Marie Aumiller Hamm passed away at Carla’s Care Home in Montrose, Colo. on Sept. 24, 2009 at the age of 96. Marie was born July 21, 1913 in Chickasha, Okla. to Richard and Orie (Grant) Lange. She was the oldest of eight children born during the Oklahoma Land Run, where the family received 160 acres of prime ground. Marie’s father went to the livestock sale and came home with the prettiest pair of mules the family had ever seen. The mules didn’t take to the boys however, and it fell to Marie, who shared a mutual admiration with the pair, to work the team plowing and farming her family’s land. Marie developed her strong work ethic at a very early age, and took a great deal of pride taking care of the fields with her mules. She and her dad traveled to Washington to buy fresh produce to re-sell at roadside stands, supplementing the farm income to make ends meet. Marie married Clyde Aumiller in Durango, Colo. in April of 1931. They lived variously in Colona, Ouray, Silverton, Yampa, Durango, Rio Blanco, La Porte, Indiana, and Canon City. They traded their home on the Hogback in February of 1961 for the Chipeta Hotel on the corner of Main and Townsend in Montrose. When Clyde passed away in December of 1968, Marie was able to support herself by running the hotel. She was very particular about the way things were done, and therefore ran the hotel by herself. In the 60s and 70s, Marie rented her 21 rooms for $3 a night, and those with a bathroom for $3.75. The West End people would stay when they came to Montrose to do their shopping and tend to business, as well as the railroaders because they could walk back and forth from the train. The guests would gather in the lobby to watch television, and if Marie didn’t care for someone, she had no problem escorting them out. Marie was an accomplished seamstress, sewing beautiful clothing without patterns, and she enjoyed gardening as well, especially her roses.
Marie sold the hotel in 1974 and traveled extensively throughout the United States, even venturing as far as Russia. She married Joseph Hamm in 1978 and together they enjoyed golf, and spent time traveling in Alaska. Gambling throughout the Colorado casinos, anywhere there were slot machines, was a favorite pastime of Marie’s. She loved fishing and rock hunting. Her grandchildren remember hunting for arrowheads around Montrose with their grandmother.
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A graveside service in honor and celebration of Marie’s life will be officiated by Jim Kerschner Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 3 p.m. at Valley Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Montrose County 4-H Foundation. Valley Lawn Funeral Home is in charge of the care and arrangements for Marie and her family, 505 S. Second St., Montrose, CO (970) 249-4400.
Pam Ron Brown wrote on Oct 2, 2009 6:05 AM: