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Show Page A4 'Stye tEimeg-fSJftfrgpetthg- Thursday, November 11, 2004 nt Ellen Meloy died Nov. 4 Obituaries at her home in Bluff Thomas Cooper passed November 3 away artist, and naturalist, Thomas Ellen Meloy of Bluff, Utah, a remarkable neighbor, writer, died Thursday, November 4. Ellen lived with her husband Mark Meloy in a house they built together above the San Juan River. The town grieves the loss of her generous and witty presence. Ellen wrote the geography of home. It all fit beneath the d belly of a lizard. broken cliffs, stones, skirts of talus clad in rice grass and claret cup. Red dune fields marching to Colorado, weeds invading from Arizona. A river of inestimable grace, devout in its persistence to reach the sea. Her work not g only captivated readers in places - The Anthropology of Turquoise was nominated for the Pulitzer prize in nonfiction - but brought many gifts to her townsfolk. Her keen vision and endlessly probing imagination enriched others' perceptions of home. A member of the Bluff City Historic Preservation Association, Ellens appreciation of the history and possibilities of the town, her graceful and articulate voice, and her deft attention to the concerns of funding organizations, were essential to the preservation of the 140 acre Jones Farm abutting the town, the acquisition of land to protect the 19th century Bluff Pioneer Cemetery, and the developing trail system linking, in Ellens words, this small desert town to its big desert river. The Boston Globe described Ellen Meloys writing as spirited and intelligent, as vivid and vibrant as the land itself is dry and spare. Her books, Ravens Exile, The Last Cheaters Waltz, and The Anthropology or Turquoise which she called an exploration of the connections between human perception and geography - landscape and nature, spirit and art, earned many awards including the Utah Book Award, and the Writers Award from the Whiting Foundation. Her commentaries on her desert home were a frequent feature on Utah Public Radio, and her insight and generosity as a teacher encouraged many students. Ellens family and neighbors admire her life of passionate intention and rapt attention, her lively senses and her endless curiosity. Rising well before dawn to write, Ellen could tell every day where the sun rose on her horizon and where the planets blinked out Ilene (Teen) Christensen passed away peacefully, Nov. 8, 2004, at her home south of Moab, Utah. Bom on July 16, 1924 in Mt. Carmel UT. She married Edward Leo Christensen in June 1945. Together they raised four children. She was preceded in death by Leo, her husband, her son Dick H. Christensen, and her daughter Golda Jean Kimber. She is survived by her son Ted Peter Cooper passed away Nov. 3, 2004, at his home in Moab after a long struggle with multiple my- eloma. He was surrounded by his wife and three children. Tom was born Jan. 11, 1937, in Passaic, N.J. to Peter and Eileen Cooper. They moved to Seaside Park, N.J. in 1944 where Tom lived until moving to Moab in 1998. He was a veteran of the U.S. River-polishe- far-flun- Bene 'Teen" Christensen passed away at her home on November 8 in the morning light. Solitary by necessity, she nonetheless noted the comings and goings of phoebes and foxes and lizards, shared the abundance of her gardens with her and two-legge- Navy serving on the destroyer escort the U.S.S. Cromwell. Toms diverse career included working in the engineering departments of sev- d neigh- four-legge- d bors, and when she finished her work fed them meals made as beautiful as her surroundings by her artists sensibility. A Yokuts Indian basket, given to a eral plants throughout New Jersey as well as the hotelresort industry of Atlantic City. Tom and Lois retired to Moab in 1998. Since discovering the Moab area in 1971 he spent most of his vacation er who came with her husband to ranch below Californias High Sierras, nurtured Ellens passions for familiar landscapes and spoke of her attachment to her family and their roots in the dry foothills of California. She was born to California natives, Lyle and Patricia Ditzler, on June 21, 1946, the only sister to Kirk and eventually Grant and John, all four of them artists. In her teens, her fathers work for the Federal Aviation Agency took the family to London and Rome. After graduating from high school in London, Ellen studied in Perugia, Florence and Rome in Italy and at the American College and the Sorbonne in Paris. Two years at Goucher College in Maryland brought her a Bachelor of Arts, with high honors in 1969. As a young woman, Ellen was curator of fine arts at a gallery in Baltimore as well as working at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and as an illustrates In 1979 she earned her Masters in Science in Environmental Studies at the University of Montana, and moved to Helena where she did writing and editing at the Office of Public Instruction. Mark and Ellen married at Crow Creek Falls in the Elkhorn Mountains in 1985 and once raised funds in an attempt to save the falls from diversion by serving spaghetti from a field kitchen to hundreds of diners. In 1989 Mark became a river ranger in Desolation and Gray Canyons on Utahs Green River. Seven seasons industrial time coming here with his family. He especially loved staying for weeks up in Arches with the whole family, cats and dogs included. They had many adventures setting out from, the Winnebago camper. Tom and Lois bought a home in Moab in 1985. After retiring here he continued to enjoy the canyons, mountains and the river. He rowed Westwater Canyon and helped Tom and Erin numerous times with river trip shuttles and breakdowns. He was a gifted mechanic and engineer. He was happiest when he was working on projects for his family. He could troubleshoot and fix anything and really enjoyed a mechanical challenge. With a little help from his family he y built a shop on their property in Moab for his many tools and equipment. His kids learned so much from his talent and intellect. He had much happiness in single-handedl- Miller and the many caring staff members of St Marys Cancer Pavillion who so enriched his life throughout his illness. They would also like to thank the staff of Community Nursing Services for helping him and his family during his time with Hospice. A special thanks to Father Rick Sherman of St. Pius X Catholic Church for his spiritual guidance. Father Ricks presence was a gift of great comfort to Tom. A viewing was held at Moab Memorial Mortuary, Tuesday evening, with a funeral mass celebrated at St. Pius X Catholic Church on Wednesday morning. Burial followed at Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Moab. A celebration of Toms life will be at his home on 2700 East Bench Road Wednesday Nov. 10 be- Colene Terwilleger, Doyle Kimber, and 10 grand son-in-la- w Richard W. children, Christensen, Melinda Jean Mayberry, Shannon Kimber, Brandon (Kristen) Kimber, 3iapf)if from everyone at JCathy- fZ)i4itd - Personal Service Let us make a beautiful fall centerpiece for your feast We will be closed 7 Nov ' Thank you for your patronage Have a safe holiday 0 75 N 300 E 259-595- 9:30-5:3- 0 435-259-94- 94 259-708- 9:30-- 1 Sat. FTD Wire Service Mon.-Fr- i. Major Credit Cards Accepted with Honesty & Respect Funerals Direct Burials Cremation Grave Markers Moab 41 1 E Locust Lane Moab, Utah 84532 The T--I Utah's first 100 wind-powere- d Children with Cancer, co 36th Street, Astoria, 'WtonUHlI JAanfhguwuf through the evening. Toms wish that contributions be made in his memory to: Imus Cattle Ranch for 34-1- 2 great-grandchildre- n. sMfanib ginning in the afternoon WFAN 660 AM Sports Radio, Tina Shay, Trena (Charlie) Harrison, Tisha (Mark) Ward, Richard T. Christensen, Dale Terwilleger, Pat Terwilleger and 17 First in the Nation newspaper EPA Green Power Community NY 11106. y two-stor- being grandchildren. He and Lois hosted the radio show West of Broadway on Moabs KZMU where he shared his lifelong love of showtunes with the community of listeners. Toms faith in God, his love for his family and his wonderful sense of humor helped sustain him throughout his illness. Tom is survived by his wife, Lois, of 37 years; his daughter Colleen Cooper-Vanosdel- l, w Mathew Vanosdell, and grandchildren Elliot and Helen, all of Grand Junction; daughter Erin Cooper and son Thomas Cooper of Moab and many cousins, nieces and nephews in New Jersey. The family would like to thank Dr. McFadden and Dr. together on the river inspired Ravens Exile. All of Ellens books were written in south- ern Utah, the country she finally and fiercely embraced as home. Her book, Eating Stone, is approaching publication. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to clean up surface contamination and implement a ground water compliance strategy to address contamination that resulted from historical uranium-or- e processing at the Moab UMTRA Project Site. DOE has prepared the document, Remediation of the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings, Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah, Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), to assess the potential environmental impacts of remediating the Moab Project Site and vicinity properties. DOE analyzed the potential environmental impacts of both on-si- te remediation and disposal alternatives and also analyzed and the No Action alternative. DOE has not identified a preferred alternative in the draft EIS; a preferred alternative will be included in the final EIS after consideration of public comments, the information provided in the draft EIS, and factors relevant to the decision. Reference copies are available at: Grand County Public Library White Mesa Ute 25 South 100 East Administrative Building White Mesa, Utah Moab, Utah 259-54- 21 (435) (off Highway 191) off-si- te (435) 678-33- 97 DOE Public Reading Room Blanding Branch Library 25 West 300 South 2597 B34 Road Grand Junction, Colorado Blanding, Utah (435) 678-23- 35 On the Internet at - http:gj.em.doe.govmoab Copies may be requested by contacting DOE toll free at Thanks to all of the citizens of Grand County who willingly got involved with the election process, and particularly those who supported me during the last election. Special thanks go out to the folks who worked long and hard, sharing their expertise and their knowledge with me, posting signs, calling and contacting our citizens. Thanks also for the financial assistance that helped get our message out, and a very special thanks to the kids of Grand County for their love, support, and eagerness to get involved with their future. - The U.S. Department of Energy Announces the Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Moab, Utah, UMTRA Project Site to his Paa-Da- a son-in-la- A Note ofAppreciation Christensen, her daughter Jim Salmon DOE welcomes comments and suggestions from all interested parties on the information presented in the draft EIS. Comments will be accepted through February 18, 2005. Mail comments to: Moab DEIS Comments U.S. Department of Energy 2597 B 34 Road Grand Junction, CO 81503 Email to: moabcommentsgjo.doe.gov Fax to: 97Q-248-7- 636 Call toll free at DOE will host public meetings to discuss the draft EIS during the week of January 24, 2005. Further details about these meetings will be made available at the beginning of January. |