John Duran III of Estes Park passed away from a traffic collision on Highway 34 on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. He was born on Jan. 2, 1963, in Denver to John Duran Jr. and Delores Quintana Esselburn and stepfather of 41 years Scott Esselburn, whom he really loved and looked up to and was a great role model to him.
John was preceded in death by his father, John Duran Jr. John has three siblings, his sister-Teresa, and brothers Gerald (Jerry) and Michael.
When growing up, John and his siblings were into sports, mainly football and swimming. He attended Northglenn High School and, after graduating, joined the Navy. His careers have included being an inventory control specialist, a snow removal technician, and, most recently, an Uber driver. While in the Navy, John served for four years as an air traffic controller.
John married Dori Sonnenberg on July 23, 1988 in Phoenix, AZ. They moved to Estes Park in June of 1993.
Their children include Zachery Duran IV, Joshua Duran, Deserae, and her husband, Aaron Brogan. John was a great dad and enjoyed having fun with his grandkids, especially while swimming. He loved the beauty and hikes in Estes Park. His main passions in life were his family and the Denver Broncos.
John and Dori’s grandchildren include Aiden, Damian, and Anaiya Duran. Other survivors left to mourn and miss him including many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. John’s primary source of happiness stemmed from his desire to spread happiness and make everyone around him feel like family. He will be greatly missed.
Instead of flowers, the family requests donations to Urban Peak. One of John’s main priorities was to help the homeless community, and Urban Peak was the organization he supported most often.
A private service will be held at a later date.
Please visit Allnutt’s Estes Park to leave a favorite memory or message for the family to see.