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John Henry Crawford
John Henry Crawford, born Aug. 26, 1918, in Estancia, New Mexico,
was called to eternal rest on Aug. 14, 2003. Funeral services for the
immediate family were held on Aug. 23, 2003 in Denver.
John was born to James and Margaret (Maggie) Crawford. His
childhood was spent in many towns traveling with his three brothers and
parents, who were missionaries of the Nazarene Church. He
graduated from Olivet College where he was a track and
basketball star. He met Muriel Stuhr while in college, and they
married on June 12, 1942. After graduation he went into the
Army Air Corp during World War II as a weatherman. Shortly
after he returned from the service he moved Muriel and his four
children to Denver.
After the children were grown, they purchased the Fairplay Hotel
which he owned and managed for 12 years. In 1982 he built the
Western Inn which he owned until his death. John and Muriel
spent their retirement in Grand Junction and their winters in
several different places. He was loved and respected by his many
friends and felt a true need to serve as evidenced by his election
to the offices of: President of the Home Builder Association, Park
County Commissioner and President of the Southeast Denver
Kiwanis Club.
His dedication to his family, his work ethic and strong character
assured that his 84 years were meaningful. John’s life is a
testament to living each and everyday to its fullest, with a
positive attitude and compassion for others.
John is survived by his son, John H. Crawford Jr. of Grand
Junction; two daughters, Kathy Hofstra of Littleton and Linda
Sanderson of Fairplay; brother, Cecil Crawford of North
Carolina; six grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; one great
grandchild; and two step great grandchildren. Wife Muriel
Crawford, daughter Susan Crawford, brothers Roy Crawford and
Red Crawford preceded him in death.
Donations in his memory can be sent to The John Crawford
Memorial Heart Fund, P. O. Box 474, Grand Junction, CO
81502.
Gladys M. (Brady) Howard
Gladys M. Howard, age 78, died on Sept. 11, 2003 in Salida. Gladys
was born on Feb. 2, 1925, to Horace L. Brady and Rebecca Jane
(Grose) Brady in Cripple Creek. Gladys’ grandparents were Mr.
and Mrs. Thomas Grose. Her great grandparents were Mr. and
Mrs. H.B. Grose and Mr. and Mrs. James Tremayne. They were
early settlers, ranchers and mining families in Alma, Buckskin
and Fairplay.
Gladys was raised on the family’s homestead ranches in Teller,
Park and Fremont counties. In 1943, she met and married
William E. Howard in Fairplay, where she lived out her life. Mr.
Howard’s parents homesteaded near Guffey. Gladys loved to
work outdoors, enjoyed picnics, cooking and was an active
member of the Rebekah Lodge.
Gladys is survived by her daughter, Rebecca Jane (Roger)
Anderson; three brothers, Leonard (Elaine) Brady and T.R.
(Rhoda) Brady of Cañon City, and Joe (Ricky) Brady of
Colorado Springs; three sisters, Faye (Roy) (Emmerson) Pray and
Geraldine (Alfred) Black of Cañon City, Ruby (Leo) Wittweer of
Grand Junction; three grandchildren, Sheila Simpson of
Roopville, Ga., Teresa (John) Gregg of Denver, Ty Anderson of
Silverthorne; and two great-grandchildren, Samuel and Rebecca
Simpson of Roopville, Ga.; sister-in-law Carolyn (Joe) Howard
and brother-in-law Jim Howard; and many friends. She was
preceded in death by her parents and husband.
Graveside services were held at the Fairplay Cemetery on Sept.
15. Rev. Kim Graber officiated the service. Pallbearers were
Leonard Brady, Dick Brady, Joe Brady, Randy Brady, David
Howard and Roger Howard. The Rebekah also held their
traditional funeral service. In lieu of flowers, memorial
contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the
Leadville Cloud City Rebekah Lodge. Contributions may be sent
to the Lewis & Glenn Funeral Home, 203 E. Sackett St., Salida,
CO 81201.
Margaret Clara Johnson
A longtime Bailey resident, Margaret Clara Johnson, died
Sept. 13, 2003 at her home. She was 74.
A memorial service was held Thursday, Sept. 18 at
Evergreen Memorial Park Chapel. There was
a cremation. Mrs. Johnson was born Jan. 24, 1929, in Boulder. In
1947, she and Clyde Melvin Johnson were married in Sioux
City, Iowa. In 1956, they moved to Bailey.
She was an avid gardener, cherishing the wildflowers she had
planted in her yard and the plants in her home. She loved her
three cats and the time spent with ladies researching Park County
history.
Survivors include her husband, Clyde Melvin Johnson Sr. of
Bailey; daughters, Marilyn Menzies of Aspen Park, Marlene
Denise Lack of Arvada and Marcia (Alan) Giambartolomei of
Conifer; and son Clyde Maurice Johnson III of Cañon City;
grandchildren Tammy Harlow, Raymond, Russell and Todd
Lack, Lisa (Aaron) Everson, Holly Hill, C. J., Jamie and Dustin
Johnson, Angela and Lukas Giambartolomei, and Clint Menzies;
and great-grandchildren Michael and Tera Hill, Courtney and
Cameron Harlow and Emilie Johnson.
Memeorials may be sent in memory of Margaret Johnson to
Evergreen Animal Protective League, PO Box 2517, Evergreen,
CO 80437.
Hazel Marie Shirley
A longtime Conifer resident, Hazel Marie Shirley died Sept.
27, 2003 at Swedish Medical Center. She was 67.
A memorial serviced was held Oct. 1 at Mountain High
Christian Center. There was cremation. Burial will be at
Pleasant Park Cemetery at a later date.
Mrs. Shirley was born April 3, 1936 in Denver, Colo. On Nov.
16, 1953 she married Grant King Shirley in Golden, Colo.
They moved to Conifer in 1968. She was co-owner/operator
of Shirley Septic from 1973 until her retirement in 1996. Her
interests were in gardening and cooking.
Mrs. Shirley was an active member of Mountain High
Christian Center. Survivors include her husband; son Ed
(Mona) of Conifer; daughter Tamme (Gary) Hodge of
Evergreen; a sister Emily (Jay) Keithline of Lakewood and a
brother Frank Umphries of Wheat Ridge. There are seven
grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be sent to the Lupus Foundation, 6795 E.
Tennessee Ave., Denver, CO 80224.
Osten Bruce Gill
Osten Bruce Gill, of Franklinville, New York, died suddenly on the
evening of Oct. 14, 2003 after playing a varsity football game.
He was 16.
A funeral service and burial was held Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2003 at
Evergreen Memorial Park.
Osten was born July 2, 1987, in Denver and was a sophomore at
Cuba/Rushford Central School in Cuba, N.Y. He had attended
Fitzsimmons Middle School in Bailey while living with
grandparents. He was a sports enthusiast.
Survivors include his mother, Margaret Lynch, and father,
Kalvin Gill, both of Denver; sisters Tamara Knobloch and
Tari Gill, both of Thornton; grandparents Steve and Martha
Murway of Bailey, Ron and Patricia Rogacki, and Barb and
Robert Meier, all of Westminster; and niece, Tegen Knobloch
of Thornton.
Memorials may be sent to the Osten Gill Memorial Fund, c/o
Peak National Bank, 26679 Pleasant Park Rd., Conifer, CO
80433.
Eila A. Johnson
Eila Lois Allen Johnson joined eternity on Oct. 14, 2003 after 98
fruitful years. She was the matriarch and oldest survivor of a
well-known pioneer family with six generations of ties to
ranching, railroading, mining, mercantilism, education and
recreation in South Park.
She was born on July 22, 1905, in Como to parents Florence
(Watson) and Henry Allen, proprietors of the Corner Saloon
(now Como Mercantile). Eila married rancher and locomotive
engineer/mechanic John Aurthur “Art” Johnson in 1923. They
had four sons: Don, Roger, Larry and Willie. Together they
operated Art’s Garage and the Pine Ridge Motel in Fairplay.
In the late 1950s, Eila and Art retired and moved to Cañon
City. Art died in 1964, and Eila lived independently there for
30 years. In 1994, she and poet Laurie Wagner Buyer
serially published a narrative of her life and times in Fence
Post magazine.
In later years, having outlived all four of her sons, four of
her seven daughters-in-law and her sister Mary (Allen)
Buyer, Eila came under the loving care of a surviving
daughter-in-law, Helen Snell Johnson of Fairplay and
Lakewood, and her seven grand and nine great
grandchildren. Eila is also survived by her nephew John R.
“Mick” Buyer of Fairplay.
A memorial service was held in the Como Cemetery on Nov. 1.
