John B. Dufurrena died on April 19th in Boise, Idaho. He was born in Riverton, Wyoming on January 5, 1919 to Anton and Julia Osa. His parents divorced when he was very young and his mother later remarried Alec Dufurrena, a rancher from Denio, Nevada. He grew up at Wilder Creek ranch and attended the one room school in Denio.
John developed a deep love and respect for his stepfather Alec. He was gratified to take his last name and always felt that Alec gave him a foundation for a good life. In his youth he worked for his parents as a cowboy, then later, for other ranches in Northern Nevada and Southern Oregon. In early 1941 he joined the U.S. Army. He felt that war was coming and he wanted to get as much training as he could before it started. He had just finished basic training when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. His unit was part of the Allied invasion of North Africa. They made an amphibious landing near Oran and were opposed by Vichy French forces. His unit took several casualties against the French until the French switched sides. He never forgave the French for that.
His unit then fought the Germans in North Africa until the end of that campaign. He then participated in the Allied landings in Italy. For the rest of the war they fought their way up the Italian boot. During the fighting in Italy John was decorated with the bronze star for valor and received a battlefield commission to 2nd lieutenant. At the end of the war in Europe his unit was at the Austrian border.
After the war, John returned to Nevada and worked as a cowboy. He leased ranches from the Marvel family and worked for them at the 25 ranch. One day while accompanying a friend to the dentist’s office he met the dentist’s daughter, Joan Calder, who was a dental hygienist. A mutual attraction led to love and marriage. A lifelong partnership was formed that produced four sons. In 1954 they moved to the Quinn River Ranch and John managed this ranch for 10 years until moving into Winnemucca in 1964.
With his brother in law, Gene Baum, they started Humboldt Readymix. After 10 years this business was sold and John and Joan retired. They enjoyed a very happy retirement spending winters in Needles, California.
John leaves behind his wife of 64 years, Joan, three sons, Dr. John C. Dufurrena (Suzanne), Dr. Richard Quinn Dufurrena (Karen), and Thomas Dufurrena A.I.A.(Hilda), 9 grandsons, and one great granddaughter. He was preceded in death by his brother Buster, sister Clarice, and son Joseph. His ashes will be interred in the Idaho Veteran’s cemetery.
