Our Heritage

Our Heritage

The Boies-Ortega Funeral Home has serviced the Huerfano and Las Animas Counties since 1918. Located in Walsenburg, it is surrounded by the beautiful Huajatolla, Green Horn and Sheep Mountains.

In earlier times, the funeral home was actually a Livery Stable. In 1918 the Livery Stable was converted into a Funeral Home, then known as Unfug-Peet Undertaking Company. Around 1959 it was sold to Howard Burress, who in turn, sold the funeral home to James Boies around 1969.

In 1972, the merger of six funeral homes took place. McCarthy, Holt, Wilson, Dolsen, Boies, Peacock-Frye Funeral Homes became known as “Al Monte Alto”, Spanish phrase for “to the high mountain”, shortened to Almont Corporation. Almont Corporation sold to the Loewen Group which was a much larger organization of funeral service throughout the United States and abroad.

Later the Loewen Group was renamed, Alderwoods Group . With the retirement of James Boies in 1996, the funeral home was renamed, Boies-Ortega Funeral Home, with management under the Ortega family.  In 2007, the funeral home merged with the Service Corporation Inc., joining forces with the well known William Holt family and since has been operated by the Holt Family. With William's passing in 2019, the next generation of the family, Beth Holt-Madone operates her father's legacy. 

The Boies-Ortega Funeral home is operated by local residents and offers full service to mostly southern Colorado. However, accommodations can be made for  families from the central or northern part of the Colorado since the Holt Family owns multiple funeral homes, a monument company and cemetery  within the state.
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