People

: Pete Dunda; Born in 1939 and raised in Pueblo, CO. Began playing accordion at age 5. Graduated from Pueblo Junior College in 1959 and entered Air Force Aviation Cadet Program in 1960, eventually serving 23 years in the USAF. After retiring from the Air Force, Pete worked as the manager of S. Systems Albuquerque office for 12 years. Upon retiring from S. Systems in 1997 he and his wife Susan built a home on the Taylor River north of Almont. Also in 1997 he formed the Pete Dunda Band and performs at events around Colorado. (Source: Oral History of the Gunnison Valley: Pete Dunda)

: Pete Lapham; A De Beque resident who worked in the cattle business. According to oral history interviewee Morgan Goss, Lapham had a feud with a man named Hiram, and Hiram shot him in the jaw at a pool hall on Main Street in Grand Junction, Colorado. According to rancher Donald “Don” Rogers, Lapham’s beef was actually with a man named Irey Walck. Lapham threatened to kill Walck when they saw each other in the Pastime Café on Main Street in Grand Junction. Most of the regulars thought Lapham was drunk and so ignored him. Lapham went to the Free Corral, got his gun, and shot Walck in the neck. Rogers’s father, Lucas “Luke” Rogers, had drawn his gun at that point, and threatened to shoot Lapham if he didn’t leave. Lapham holstered his gun and left. Rogers makes no mention of Walck dying, but does say that Lapham’s shot missed Walck’s jugular.

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