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Time Machine: 80 years ago, Eagle County family receives son’s war medals, not realizing he was already dead

At the grand opening of a new trap range in Gypsum, the honor of shooting the first clay pigeon was bestowed upon Fred Collett, seen here at center in this Nov. 21, 1974 photo from the Eagle Valley Enterprise.
Eagle Valley Enterprise/Vail Daily archive

10 years ago

Nov. 21, 2014

Vail Mountain opened for the season.

20 years ago

Nov. 19, 2004



Vail Mountain opened for the season.

30 years ago

Nov. 18, 1994

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Eagle County leaders were disappointed that local voters opposed “de-Brucing,” a practice that refers to the rolling back of provisions written by Douglas Bruce in Amendment 1, which placed limits on how much municipalities can spend, regardless of how much they take in.

In 1994, Eagle County took in more tax revenue than anticipated, resulting in a situation where the county had to return hundreds of thousands of dollars to real estate developers who paid large amounts of taxes into the rapidly growing county.

“The county’s 1994 revised budget is about $700,000 above the revenue limit and $728,000 above the spending limit imposed by Amendment 1,” the Vail Trail reported.

Quoting county finance director Allen Sartin, the Trail reported that the next year’s budget was likely to be above the revenue limit, as well.

“Most of these overages are caused by the spike in economic activity experienced this year,” Sartin said.

County information officer Jack Ingstad said as a result of Amendment 1, the county was unable to accept a state grant for a million-dollar bridge project.

“I’m not sure why the county’s de-Brucing question was narrowly defeated by 192 votes, when similar issues passed throughout the state and county,” Ingstad said.

40 years ago

Nov. 19, 1984

Vail Mountain opened for the season.

50 years ago

Nov. 22, 1974

Vail Mountain opened for the season.

60 years ago

Nov. 21, 1964

A drunk driver received a $175 fine and a suspended sentence of 30 days in jail for an accident that killed his passenger, Cecil R. Childress, in Eagle.

Childress, 41, was survived by his three children.

The driver, Gary Ray Greene of Ft. Morgan, was traveling west on Highway 6-24 at a high rate of speed and ran off the right shoulder, hitting a telephone pole, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.

“During the course of the car’s bouncing around it hit a guard rail that had been fashioned from railroad rails to protect the D&RG section house on the north side of the highway, flipping a heavy rail against the side of the house,” the Enterprise reported. “This particular house apparently is ill-fated. Friday night’s accident was the second time a careening car hit the building.”

70 years ago

Nov. 18, 1954

Sarah B. Mather died at the age of 92, the Eagle County Enterprise reported.

Mather was known as Eagle County’s “first lady” after settling in the county in the 1880s. She was married to John Mather in Breckenridge on June 29, 1886.

The Mather family played a prominent part in the development of the Sheephorn area of Eagle County, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.

“After Mr. Mather’s death, she remained on Sheephorn, making her home with her son, John, and his wife, Pearl.”

80 years ago

Nov. 17, 1944

The Blakesley family of Sheephorn ranch received a package from their son, Staff Sergeant Emory Blakesley with the 184th Infantry of the U.S. Army’s 7th Division, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.

The package contained the 24-year-old infantryman’s campaign ribbons, showing his participation in the Asiatic, Pacific, and Aleutian campaigns. It also contained two bronze stars for major battles.

“One of the battles was that of the Marshall’s, where he received the purple heart for wounds inflicted in that battle,” the Enterprise reported. “Sgt. Blakesley has sent the purple heart ribbon and medal back to his parents. He also sent back his certificate of graduation in jungle training, which he completed in May 1944, and one for ranger and combat training, completed in Dec., 1943.”

While his parents did not realize it at the time, Blakesley was already dead by the time they had received the package. He was killed in action on Oct. 30, 1944, somewhere in the Pacific theater of operations. His family learned of his death about a month later.

Nov. 18, 1904

120 years ago

Judge F. W. Owers threw out an assault with intent to commit murder charge against H. F. Comstock, the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad company’s agent at Avon, who was accused of shooting at local resident Clyde Nottingham.

“Judge Owers instructed the jury to render a verdict for acquittal, which was promptly done,” the Eagle County Blade reported.


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