Durango resident Robert Frederic Hutchings died Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango. He was 71.

Mr. Hutchings was born to Harold and Lillian Hutchings on Nov. 19, 1940, in Mount Vernon, N.Y.

He earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice and later earned bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix.

Mr. Hutchings was a commissioned officer in the Military Police in the Army, serving in Okinawa, Germany and three times in Vietnam before retiring with the rank of captain.

While stationed in Germany, he married Anita Fuchs in the early 1960s. The marriage later ended in divorce.

After his military career, Mr. Hutchings taught criminal justice at Los Angeles City College.

In 1971, he married Zana Bungard in New York. The marriage later ended in divorce.

Mr. Hutchings later moved to Colorado, where he was a manager in security for Storage Technology Corp., from 1982 to 1987. Mr. Hutchings was also the co-owner of a private security company.

On June 5, 1993, he married Susan Rhinehart in Berthoud.

The Hutchingses moved to Durango in August 1997. Mr. Hutchings worked in the garden department at Walmart for several years and got to know many people in town.

When he moved to Colorado, Mr. Hutchings became an avid horseman, a passion he shared with his wife and his children. He also enjoyed sports, and he loved cheering for the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies with his brother-in-law, Louis Rhinehart.

Mr. Hutchings was preceded in death by his son Peter A. Hutchings; and daughter Deborah Ann (Hutchings) Hilton.

He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Susan R. Hutchings, of Durango; son Steven J. Hutchings of San Diego; daughters Tracy M. (Hutchings) Powers of Phoenix and Lori B. Hutchings of Thornton; mother, Lillian Gourdier, of Farmington; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

No services are planned at this time.