People

: Elmer Ranta; Elmer W. Ranta was born in Telluride, Colo. on Aug. 5, 1917, the son of Jacob and Anna (Maki) Ranta. He lived in Telluride until moving to Montrose in 1989. He graduated from the Telluride High School in 1935. Elmer served his country during World War II as an aviation engineer in the United States Army Air Corp from 1942 to 1946. He married Perina Bonato in Telluride in 1947. Elmer and Perina had two children: Vicki Ranta Eidsmo and Allan Ranta. Elmer owned and operated a plumbing business in Telluride through the early 1960s, then was employed with the State of Colorado as a driver's license examiner until his retirement in 1982. He was a 20-year member of the Telluride Fire Department and a life-time member of Telluride Elks Lodge No. 692. Elmer loved the San Juan Mountains and activities associated with the outdoors of Western Colorado and was an avid golfer. Above all, Elmer loved spending time with his family his wife, Perina, his children, and grandchildren. Elmer was the proud grandfather of four grandchildren: Jennifer Kailey Ranta, Traci Allana Ranta, Victoria Anna Eidsmo, and Lisa Maki Eidsmo, all of Telluride.

: Elmer Samuel Riggs; A paleontologist who worked for the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. He discovered a brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus in digs near Grand Junction, Colorado, with the second dinosaur found at the eponymously named Riggs Hill.

: Elmer Wright; Owner of the successful Free Corral, located on the south side of Ute Avenue at 5th Street. He later worked in construction for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. He moved to Salida, Colorado in his later years, where he passed.

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