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Sara Tetting
Obituaries
November 15, 2023
Sara Tetting

Aug. 28, 1942-Oct. 27, 2023

Sara A. Tetting was born August 28, 1942, and raised on a farm in Stanwood, Iowa.

Her parents, M. Wayne Rowser and Tony Rowser, were singers; in fact her father, with his “Bing Crosby” type voice, not only sang in church choir, but as a young man he and his band sang at the 1933 World’s Fair in St. Louis. As kids her two sisters, Margaret Ruth Rowser and Nancy Lee Rowser, and Sarah sang in the car to entertain themselves on trips. As a student Sara was always involved in chorus and played clarinet in the band. Her parents moved the family to Montrose, Colorado, in January 1959 and she continued with chorus, church choir and high school marching band.

After graduating from Denver University in June 1964, Sara got a job as a service representative for Mountain Bell telephone company. Sara got married to John Lesnefsky Jr. August 7, 1965, and gave birth to her first son, John Lesnefsky III, in August 1967. In October 1970, her second son, Warren Wayne Lesnefsky, was born. The family moved to Ouray, Colorado, in 1971 where she was again involved in community singing groups and community theater. Sara had a part in the chorus for the production of “Brigadoon” as well as “Charlie Brown” and she portrayed the daughter, Chelsea, in the production of “On Golden Pond.” She was a member of the Ouray School Board for six years and AAUW for many years as well as other community activities.

After moving to Grand Junction, Colorado, in 1993, she continued her career with the United States Postal Service working evenings at the postal annex. She married her husband Tom in 1996.

They enjoy traveling visiting countries, including Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Italy and the United Kingdom. In 2016 Tom and Sara undertook an amazing year’s journey to Southeast Asia, including the countries of Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, as well as to Portugal and Paris, France. After retiring from 30 years of working for the Post Office in April 2005, Sara once again had time for her favorite hobby, singing. She joined the Sweet Adelines and enjoyed two years of performing with the group. She and Tom then moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in August of 2007, where they lived for about 9 wonderful months. They ultimately relocated to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where she learned to bead and also worked for Marshall’s Department Store for 4-plus years.

She has two sons, one of whom, Warren Lesnefsky, lives in the Denver area and provided her with two grandchildren, one girl, Justine, and one boy, Evan. Her oldest son, John Lesnefsky III, lives in Roseville, California, and has two children, a boy Kazimir and a girl Lana.

MURAL IN BLOOM
Feature, Main...
MURAL IN BLOOM
By Erin McIntyre 
June 12, 2025
Artist Yulia Avgustinovich works on the mural she was commissioned to paint on the southeast side of the Space to Create building in Ridgway on Monday. Avgustinovich, who has been a professional mural...
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Prison ordered in sex assault
Main, News...
Prison ordered in sex assault
Judge: Crime shows 'true character' of Ridgway man alternately commended, castigated
By Mike Wiggins and Erin McIntyre mike@ouraynews.com erin@ouraynews.com 
June 11, 2025
A judge has sentenced a Ridgway man to three years in prison for sexually assaulting a 28-year-old woman in 2023 after he claimed he was drunk and thought she was his wife. Brian Scranton, 49, hugged ...
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News
Road, retaining wall fixes nearing $300K
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
June 11, 2025
The cost of repairing County Road 361 and a retaining wall following a large rockfall is nearing $300,000, a sum Ouray County is paying in full. When commissioners declared the event an emergency in F...
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News
Trail closures could trigger domino effect
With Blue Lakes, part of Imogene Pass off limits,other areas could see more wear and tear
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
June 11, 2025
Closures of beloved hiking and off-highway vehicle trails in and around Ouray County this summer could congest and pressure other areas. The popular Blue Lakes trailhead is closed through August due t...
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News
New power contract amplifies local control
San Miguel Power can generate up to 20% of own energy under Tri-State deal through 2050
By Lia Salvatierra lia@ouraynews.com 
June 11, 2025
San Miguel Power Association will continue to purchase power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association for the next 25 years under a revised contract that gives it the ability to generate...
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WOMAN OF THE YEAR
Feature
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
June 11, 2025
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Editor Picks
Ouray film festival returns to the big screen
Feature
Ouray film festival returns to the big screen
Sixth-annual event offers international flavor in intimate setting June 19-22
By Erin McIntyre erin@ouraynews.com 
June 11, 2025
Whether you're looking to pop in and view a block of short films or immerse yourself in a cultural experience melding cinema, dance and food, the sixth-annual Ouray International Film Festival has a j...
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Meet your neighbor: Amy Exstrum
Feature
Meet your neighbor: Amy Exstrum
By By Chloe Kiparsky Plaindealer intern 
June 11, 2025
Name: Amy Exstrum Lives in: Ouray Age: 61 What’s your profession? Well, I’m retired now, but I spent many years as a vocational home economics teacher and the owner of Ouray Bookshop, which we sold to...
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CALENDAR & EVENTS
Feature
June 12-26, 2025
CALENDAR & EVENTS
June 11, 2025
THURSDAY JUNE 12 LIVE MUSIC: Mountain Air Music Series presents Hayley Jane Band with Heavy Diamond Ring. 6 p.m. at Fellin Park in Ouray. Free. FRIDAY JUNE 13 NATURE PROGRAM: "Mustangs of Spring Creek...
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News
CLARIFICATION
June 11, 2025
An article published on Page 1 of the June 5 edition of the Plaindealer reported the West Region Wildfire Council did not receive any private donations in 2023, based on the nonprofit's publicly avail...
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Columns, Opinion...
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Coming soon: A spruced-up Plaindealer
By Erin McIntyre 
June 11, 2025
The Plaindealer just celebrated its 148th birthday. Personally, I don't think it looks a day over 99. Still, from time to time, we need to show the paper some love and spruce it up. That's why we've b...
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