William Hutchison Obituary

Funeral services for longtime Cortez resident William Chester "Bill" Hutchison will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Montezuma Valley Presbyterian Church. Pastor Steve Nofel will officiate. Masonic Rites will be recited by Cortez Lodge 133 A.F. & A.M. and military honors will be conducted by Ute Mountain American Legion Post 75.

Visitation has been set for Saturday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Ertel Memorial Chapel.

Bill was born on Sept. 28, 1923, in Kenmore, N.Y., the son of Joseph William and Elma Teresa (Darby) Hutchison. He passed away Saturday, April 23, 2011, at Vista Grande Inn in Cortez at the age of 87.

Bill proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force. He married Charlotte Sharer on August 17, 1948, in Arkansas City, Kan.; sharing 62 years of marriage. Bill brought his family to Cortez in the late 1950s and opened his own accounting firm. He was a member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and served on many national committees. Bill was a licensed CPA in Washington, New Mexico and Colorado, holding these licenses until 2010 as well as belonging to each state's CPA societies.

Upon moving to Cortez, Bill immediately became active in his new community. He was a member of Montezuma Valley Presbyterian Church, Elks, Masons and Rotary. Partnering with Rotary, the Cortez Fair Association was formed bringing the first Fourth of July display to the area residents in the early 1960s. Bill held a pyrotechnic display operator's license and enthusiastically helped to plan and display firework shows through 2010. Bill's commitment to Rotary was exemplified by his perfect attendance until November 2010.

Additionally, Bill served on several boards in the Cortez area; one was the hospital board and the other was Citizens State Bank. He helped to form and maintain the Roland Schneider Scholarship Fund. In his free time, Bill enjoyed photography, gardening and astronomy.

Surviving Bill are his loving wife, Charlotte Hutchison of Cortez; two daughters, Beth Burch and husband Dan of Gresham, Ore., and Darby Young and husband Jerry of Mercer Island, Wash.; four grandchildren, Justin Burch, Melissa Zimel, Bill Burch and Charlie Young; four great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; and two sisters, Mary Belle Buranen and Elizabeth Burr Hutchison.

Memorial contributions can be made in memory of William C. Hutchison to the Roland R. Schneider Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of the President of First National Bank, P.O. Drawer A, Cortez, CO 81321 or to the Rotary Foundation, 14280 Collections Center Drive, Chicago, IL 60698. Services are under the direction of Ertel Funeral Home. For further information or to send condolences, log on to www.ertelfuneralhome.com and click on the obituary section.