La Veta, Colorado

(La Veta High School Yearbook Contents at bottom of page)

Don Dennis managed the Spur Theater in La Veta in the summer of 1958. (Click here: Spur Theater, to see the old Spur Theater and a 1950's crowd at the box office). He lived in a little cabin on the banks of the Cuchara River and often fished for his meals or ate at the local restaurant (possibly the Branding Iron or the Grand Cafe) where the kind proprietor learned he loved banana creme pie, and always had some available for him. The next summer, 1959, he worked for Charlie Masinton in his stores, living in the La Veta Hotel and eating with the Masinton family. He made so many friends and continued to go back up to La Veta to see the Masinton boys while he was in Pueblo college; later he visited them at their college in Boulder, the University of Colorado.

Don met Vern Warren (Class of 54) shortly after his arrival in La Veta in 1958. Vern was living in Pueblo and knew there was another room available in the house on Gaylord St. where he rented. Don moved in when Pueblo Junior College started after Labor Day, and they roomed together until Vern left to go to an aeronautical school in Tulsa, OK, early 1959. They flew together numerous times, and when in La Veta with Vern, Don would stay at the Warren's Motel.

Vern Warren, 1958
(see below, for story)

La Veta holds very special memories and Don and Ann have gone back to visit several times.

Don Dennis

The Spur Theater is gone now, but was located where the
red dot is, on Main Street.

Courtesy LaVeta Historic Preservation Committee
and Kathy Kiernen Martin

Movie Passes were given to the kids who
would put the movie posters in windows
around town.

The Cabin owned by Julian Tracy, home in the summer of 1958.

This is where the restaurant was located, where there was always fresh banana creme pie for Don.

Photo courtesy of www.cucharavalley.com Steve Perkins
The Chuck Wagon in Cuchara, a favorite
place to go after work each night.

Front: Wayne Kreutzer, Burney Archuleta, Fred Sanchez, Dan Griego,
Glenn Kreutzer, Leo Sager.
Middle: Dick Masinton, Robert Heikes, Richard Pezze, John Welsby,
John Viola, Loren Albright, Moses Ward.
Back: Eddie Shrout, Walter Greeman, Dave Miller, John Robinson,
Tim Pene, Scott Klockenbrink, Ellis Weir

Back: Coach Hildebrand, Glenn Kreutzer, John Wagner, Robert Heikes,
Scott Klockenbrink, Walter Greeman
Front: Dan Griego, John Welsby, Dick Masinton, Lloyd Snedden, Jerry Nason

Back: Ann Walker, Marian Huffman, Virginia Galvan, Judy Geiser,
Front: Gladys Duzenack, Kay Wagner, Loren Albright, Virginia Shrout,
Evelyn Harryman, Margaret Clair.

Thirteen Seniors graduated in the Class of 1958. They were Paul Duzenack, Virginia Shrout, Jerry Nason, Kaye Piner, Ann Walker, Dan Griego, La Vona Edmonds, Frank Andreatta, Walter Greeman, Kay Wagner, John Wagner, Gladys Duzenack and Lloyd Sneddon.

Dick Masinton and the Class of 1959
Virginia Galvan, Josephine Griego, Martha Hasenack,
Scott Klockenbrink, James Padilla, Tim Pene, Genevieve Sanchez,
Victor Sanchez, Rose Lee Scholes, John Welsby, Judith Ann Geiser.

The Class of 1960 included Margaret Clair, Tyrus Escalante, Loren Albright, Victoria Cruz, Bill Firm, Jerry Geiser, Curtis Goemmer, Evelyn Harryman, Robert Heikes, Marian Huffman, Richard Pezze, Eva Sanchez, Eddie Shrout, Dianne Underwood, Lupe Vera, John Viola, Moses Ward, Ellis Weir, and Harold Wilson.

La Veta Band
Top: Willa June Prator, Christine Quintana, Barbara Bay, Dick Masinton, Ann Walker, Carl Drum,
Glen Bay, Kay Wagner, John Filer.
Middle: Scott Klockenbrink, Fred Scholes, David Parks, Harold Wilson, Jerry Geiser, Denzel Perciful,
Lupe Vera, Fred Sanchez, Tyrus Escalante, Loren Albright.
Bottom: Jack Brewer, Jerry Nason, Evelyn Harryman, Judy Geiser, Loretta Duzenack, Vickie Cruz.

Front: Kathy Kiernan, John Beamer, Loretta Duzenack
Back: Karen Kmetz, Gloria Williams, Janet Brewer, Georgia Huffman, Glenna Walls,
Jim Carver, George Albright, Wayman Percifull

Back: Miss Ghiardi, Rose Lee Scholes, Clea Miller, Gladys Duzenack,
Ann Walker, Judy Geiser, Margaret Clair, Virginia Shrout,
Marian Huffman, Lupe Vera.
Front: Mary Griego, Helen Weir, Leslie Campbell, Freda Scholes,
Vonna Hector, Virginia Galvan, Josephine Griego, Vicky Cruz, Marie Galvan
Cheerleaders are Evelyn Harryman and Kay Wagner

Top: Harvest Ball Queen, Ann Walker
Left: Homecoming Queen, Virginia Shrout
Right: Blanca Tournament Princess, Kaye Piner

Kathy Martin picture -
Paul Logan, La Veta
Click to enlarge

VERN WARREN:

A former classmate of Vern Warren's wrote a couple of stories about him. Vern jumped from a second story window in the high school, to the bed of a pickup truck...... and didn't get hurt. Another time, he bet someone he could drink 10 glasses of water all at one sitting, and the prize was to be a big bottle of Pepsi. He drank the 10 glasses of water, and then drank the Pepsi he had won!

Park and Statue for Charlie Masinton

Don Dennis with Charlie's Statue, 2007.

Charlie's Store

Entering Beautiful La Veta

Antique Post Card - Spanish Peaks

(click pictures to enlarge)

Post office at Cuchara, CO

Cuchara, Hill down to Cabins

Ann Dennis, 2009

Don Dennis, 2009

Cuchara Store

1950's La Veta News
from the
Huerfano County News
(with permission)

http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/news.htm
Copyright by Karen Mitchell

1955 May La Veta: La Veta's rampaging Redskins trounced the Aguilar Wildcats 13-3 in a seven inning long contest played in La Veta yesterday afternoon.

1955 August La Veta: Betty Willis won her second reserve championship at the State Fair, in the dress revue.

1955 October La Veta: The Redskins took over the lead in the Spanish Peaks conference Friday when they won a hard-fought 6-0 victory over the Aguilar Wildcats. The lone touchdown was a pass from Don Drury to Jim Geiser which covered 30 yards.

1955 November La Veta: Kay Piner and Betty Willis won awards in the clothing division for Huerfano County in the National 4-H Achievement contests.

1956 August La Veta: The Kincaid store, owned and run since 1900 by the Kincaid family, was sold to Charlie Masinton by William M. Kincaid Jr., who has had it since 1952.

1958 January La Veta: Lloyd Sneddon scored 34 points to lead the Redskins to a 63-28 win over Moffat High School.

1958 April La Veta: At the Spur this Sunday and Monday, "To Hell and Back' starring Audie Murphy.

1958 April La Veta: Vernon Warren and Rolf Zinger have resumed their flight training toward their private pilot's licenses at La Veta Airport. (Webmaster: Vern Warren was Don's college roommate; Vern died in an airplane crash in 1969.)

1958 April La Veta: Work continues on the air field north of town by the Chamber of Commerce and the only hazard remaining is the telephone line.

1958 July La Veta: Kay Piner entered training June 20 in the Women's Marine Corps in North Carolina.

1958 August La Veta: The 20th annual Huerfano County 4-H Fair will be held in La Veta Aug. 8, 9, and 10.

1958 September La Veta: Keith Kreutzer, quarterback, is not expecting to play in tomorrow's homecoming game and will be replaced by Don Drury.

1958 September La Veta: Miss Virginia Shrout entered St. Mary Corwin Hospital as a student nurse, part of a three-year course.

1958 October La Veta: About 50 L.V.H.S. students and sponsors gathered at the Chuck Wagon in Cuchara Saturday night for a dance party.

1958 October La Veta: The La Veta Redskins won their third game of the season by downing Pueblo County B Squad 18-6.

1958 October La Veta: The Redskins downed the Aguilar Wildcats 12-0 last Friday in La Veta's Homecoming game.

1958 October La Veta: The Redskins lost their first game in four starts by dropping to the St. Mary Crusaders 24-0.

1958 November La Veta: Charles Keeling tore off the brick veneer cornice work on Charlie's Old Reliable store before repairing the roof.

1958 November La Veta: Curtis Goemmer was elected president of the 4-H Electric Club, Fred Scholes, vice president, Carl Drum, secretary and Janet Pene, treasurer.

1958 November La Veta: La Veta won its sixth game of the season 13-6 over the Alamosa B team, with Loren Albright and Joe Viola scoring touchdowns.

1958 December La Veta: La Veta Redskins defeated the Huerfano County High School Panthers 48-46 in a thrilling non-league basketball game.

1958 December La Veta: Receiving straight A's at La Veta High School were Loren Albright, Marian Huffman, John Beamer and Georgia Huffman.

1958 December La Veta: The Redskins defeated the St. Mary Crusaders 57-43 in the first cage tilt of the season.

1959 February La Veta: The Redskins defeated Saguache 53-36 to clinch second in Class C Southern Peaks basketball league.

1959 May La Veta: Cheerleaders elected for next year are Freda Scholes, Marie Galvan and Marion Huffman.

1959 June La Veta: The Spur Theater was reopened Saturday, June 13 after remodeling.

1959 November La Veta: Marian Huffman was crowned Harvest Queen Saturday night by Curtis Goemmer, senior class president.

1959 November La Veta: The Redskins will be in the state playoffs against Weldon Valley following their victory over Yampa 46-6.

La Veta High School, Kathy Kiernan Martin, Margaret Clair Hettinger

Background: Sunset in La Veta 2007
Photo by Ann Dennis

1954_Yearbook

1956_Yearbook

1957_Yearbook

1958 Yearbook

1959 Yearbook

1960 Yearbook

1961 Yearbook

1962 Yearbook

Spur Theater

La Veta Clippings

THANK YOU!
Kathy Kiernen Martin

(put website in subject)

DON DENNIS AND ANN (MILLER) DENNIS FAMILY WEBSITE

NEW on the site

1. HOME (The early years)	2. Pueblo, Gr Junction	3. Fairbanks 1		4. Fairbanks 2
5. Arizona	6. Rural San Diego	7. Mixed Pictures		8. Family Album
9. Extended Family	10. Dupree Ranch	Denver		Articles 1 2 3 4
Calendars 56-61	La Veta, CO	AAU Basketball	Driving to Alaska 09	Lefse	2009 Goldpanner Barnstorming Trip
click for: Sturgis Menu (100 + pages of Sturgis material)		click for: Fowler Menu (100 + pages of Fowler material)
Pueblo Junior College Contents Page Don's College/Jobs Army & Yearbooks Ann's College/Jobs		Ann's Pottery/Art	Perfect Marriage (or not)	Baseball	50's Song Hits
		Classmates	Uptown Theater	Silly Stories	Sports Contents Pg
Ancestors MAIN MENU NY/SD Millers, Joens Research on Utters), Peregrine White, Mayflower Dennis/Wright - Dennis 1 2 3 4 - Scotty Wright - Stewart - Ferguson 1 - Ferg. History - Old Pics - Dennis Genealogy		USS Dennis USS Fogg USS St. Lo Delbert Miller James Turner
		POW WWII "It All Began" "....And an Electric Chair"
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