Obituary: Avis J. Self

Avis J. Self
March 10, 1918~Feb. 27, 2009

Avis J. Self, a lifelong Craig resident, died on Friday, Feb. 27, 2009, at The Memorial Hospital in Craig. She was 90.
Avis was born on March 10, 1918, in Craig, Colo., to Harry and Olive (Van Tassel) Durham Sr. She was raised and attended school in Craig graduating from high school in 1935.
Avis married Josiah “Joe” Self on Aug. 8, 1936, in Craig and they became the parents of two children, John and Esther Jo. Avis was a homemaker and spent her entire life in Craig. She enjoyed horseback riding, crocheting, knitting, camping, fishing and playing Skip-bo.
Avis was a member of the Order of Eastern Star and the BPOE Does and was the first person in the Rocky Mountain region to have a cochlear implant.
Avis is survived by her daughter Esther Jo Self of Grand Junction, Colo.; her son John Self and his wife Karyl of Hannibal, Mo.; her grandchildren John Self Jr. of North Platte, Neb., and Jarold Self of Broomfield, Colo.; her great-granddaughter Brittany Self of Denver; her brothers Almon Durham and his wife Faye of Farmington, N.M., and George Durham and his wife Sharon of Craig, Colo.; her sisters-in-law Verniece Self of Craig, Colo., and Naomi Durham of Meeker, Colo.; her brother-in-law Winston Schrader of Colville, Wash., and numerous nieces and nephews.
Avis was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Edna Schrader, Dorothy Williams and Betty Knight; her brother Harry Durham Jr. and her husband Josiah “Joe” Self.
Memorial services were held on Tuesday, March 3, 2009, at the Craig Christian Church with Mervin Johnson officiating. Wanda Brown was the soloist and sang “On Top of Old Smokey,” “I Can Only Imagine‚” and “Homesick” accompanied by Anne Carr. Honorary pallbearers were “All Avis’ Family and Her Many Friends.” Interment of her cremains followed in the Craig Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Moffat County Cancer Society or the Craig Christian Church both in care of Grant Mortuary.