Cortez residents are mourning the loss of two well-known and respected community members who were tragically killed this week in Utah.

Ronald and Nella Volz died Monday after their van crashed during slick road conditions brought on by the recent rash of spring snowstorms, according to the Utah State Patrol.

"Their death has really broke up the community," said Sheila Wilson, a friend of the couple. "They were very nice, good people who made a lot of friends around here."

Mr. Volz, 65, was a candidate for the hospital board and had served as a board member for the Montezuma County Water Company. A civil engineer by trade, he worked for the National Park Service at Mesa Verde, for Mountain Gravel, and most recently for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

During the planning stages for Southwest Memorial Hospital’s emergency-room expansion, Volz’s expertise and involvement led to a scaled-down, more affordable project, saving the taxpayer money, Wilson said.