Dr. Russell Lon Quiring

DR. RUSSELL LON QUIRING A Celebration of Life service for Cortez resident Dr. Russell Lon Quiring will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 19 at Rock Springs Community Church, 32233 Highway 160, Cortez. Pastor David Ramsey will officiate. Dr. Russell Lon Quiring, age 51, passed away on May 2, 2011 in Cortez of natural causes. Russell was born on February 24, 1960 in Glasgow, Mont. the son of Howard Benjamin and Eulane Mae (Stenbakken) Quiring. He was raised in Nashua, Mont. where he graduated from high school in 1979 as valedictorian. He graduated Cum Laude from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. in 1982 and graduated with Distinction from the College of Optometry, Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. in 1989. He worked as an optometrist for all of his career. In 1985, he married Darcy Chisholm in Ada, Minn. They were divorced in 2001. Russ was a past member of the Cortez Lions Club and was an American Red Cross volunteer with the Southwest Colorado Chapter. In 2005, he volunteered and donated eye care supplies with the American Red Cross after the hurricane Katrina disaster. In December 2004, representing no one but himself, he delivered eye supplies to orphanages in Thailand. He later said that the trip "gave me an appreciation for a simpler life." He was a member of Vosh / International, an organization of eye doctors, opticians and nurses who give eye care to people of poor countries. Russ was a member of EAA (Experimental Aviation Association) Chapter 1451 (the 4-Corners Flyers) and designed and maintained their website. Russ enjoyed designing websites in his spare time, and did so for several for-profit companies, nonprofit agencies as well as for a political campaign. He also volunteered as an election judge for Montezuma County, Colo. Russ loved his family and good friends dearly but more than anything else in the world, he loved his children. He had a heart of gold and was known by everyone to be a very kind, spiritual, compassionate, and generous person. He would always lend a hand if someone needed it. Russ was very much a people person and enjoyed visiting with his patients, friends and family. He was very witty and had an infectious laugh. Russ loved the outdoors and liked to fish, camp, and hike and liked anything related to President Ronald Reagan. He especially loved to cook. Russ was preceded in death by his mother, Eulane Quiring in 2003; and by his grandparents, Bernard and Myrtle (Berg) Stenbakken and Peter and Alma (Tabert) Quiring. Survivors include his three children, Megan Quiring, Alexander Quiring and Chelsey Quiring, all of Moorhead, Minn.; his father, Howard Quiring of Fort Collins, Colo.; three brothers, Steve (Elaine) Quiring of Eagle, Colo., Daryl (Lillian) and their son Cameron Quiring of Durango, Colo., and Ronald (Minnie) and their sons Benjamin and Thomas Quiring of Beaverton, Ore.; and one sister, Diane (Ronald) Vaughn of Fort Collins, Colo.; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends. His warm and caring spirit will remain in our hearts and our memories forever. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Dr. Russell L. Quiring Memorial Fund, c/o Diane Vaughn, 702 W. Drake Rd., Bldg D, Fort Collins, Colo. 80526. It is the intention of the family to memorialize Russ in a way that would be meaningful to him. A Celebration of Life service will also be held in Nashua, MT and will be announced at a later time.