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Clarence Leon Crom
Clarence Leon Crom, 76, of Greeley died Wednesday, Jan.
14, 2004, at home in the presence of his family.
Leon was born Dec. 28, 1927, in Ault, Colorado to Clarence
and Jennie (Carroll) Crom and was raised on the plains of
northern Colorado near Carr. He served in the Army from
1945-1947 and was stationed with the occupation forces of
Japan. On Feb 27, 1949, Leon married Letha Wilson in
Greeley and lived in the Ault-Pierce area for 35 years while
they raised their four sons. Leon and Letha farmed on
several farms until they moved into Pierce in 1959 when he
started driving a bulk tank milk truck for the Alkire Dairy. In
the early 1970s, Leon and Letha founded the Crom’s Carpet
Center in Greeley, which they moved to Fairplay in 1986.
They also established the Gold Panner Gift Shop in Fairplay.
Leon quickly became known as the Old Gold Prospector and
became a major figure in the historical town.
Leon is survived by Letha, his wife of 55 years; sons,
Kenneth Crom and wife Linda of Ramstein, Germany, Rick
Crom and wife Nansi of Pierce, Gale Crom and wife Sue of
St. Cloud, Florida, and Keith Crom and wife, Trudy, of
Pierce; four grandchildren, Jeremiah and Valerie of Pierce,
and Kyle and Katrina of Florida. Survivors include brother
Walter Crom of Cheyenne, Wyo. and sisters Lucille Jerrell of
Las Vegas, Nev., Cleta Wadsworth of Sedan, Kan. and Joyce
Williams of San Binito, Texas. Leon was proceeded in death
by his mother Jennie, father Clarence, sisters Mabel,
Dorothy, Jennie-Irene, Viola, Ethel and brother Dale.
Leon enjoyed his volunteer time as the cub master for Cub
Scout Pack 56 of Pierce, as well as hunting rocks and
arrowheads and panning for gold. During the winter months,
he enjoyed traveling and living in his fifth-wheel “Snow Bird”
trailer in Yuma, Ariz.
Services were be held on Jan. 19 at Adamson Memorial West
Chapel in Greeley, Colorado with interment at the Eaton
Cemetery in Eaton.
Donations may be made to the Hospice and Palliative Care
of Northern Colorado, 2726 W. 11th St Road, Greeley, CO
80634.
Jason Jennings Wood
Bailey resident Jason Jennings Wood died on Jan. 15, 2004 at
Swedish Medical Center. He was 32 years old. Jason was
born Nov. 9, 1971, in Westminster. He attended Evergreen
schools and graduated from Evergreen High School in 1990.
He was employed by Safeway and the Snow Leopard Ski
Shop. Jason played soccer and baseball and enjoyed other
sports as well. After high school, he worked on the
Mississippi Queen on the Mississippi River. Subsequently, he
spent four years in the U.S. Navy submarine service. After
he was discharged, he was employed by Johnstone and Co.
in Jackson, Miss. At the time of his death, he was working in
maintenance for Deer Creek Elementary School.
Survivors include his mother, Linda, of Bailey; father,
Duane, and stepmother, Carole, of Broomfield; brother,
Darin, of Houston, Texas; and stepbrothers, Jake and
Geoffery.
A memorial gathering will be announced at a later date.
Memorials may be sent to the Jason Wood Memorial Fund,
c/o Deer Creek Elementary School, P. O. Box 295, Bailey,
CO 80421.
Jeani Francis Seeman
Jeani Francis Seeman, a 15-year resident of Fairplay, died
on Jan. 21, 2004 at Porter Hospital. She was 59. Mrs. Seeman was
born on March 22, 1944, in Dallas, Ore. She was a Jehovah
Witness. In 1994, she married Rodney Lynn Seeman in
Fairplay. A visitation was held at Evergreen Memorial Park
Chapel with burial at Pleasant Park Cemetery in Conifer.
Survivors include her husband; daughters, Kisti Odell of
Alabama and Sheri Hayes of Aurora; stepson, Michael
Seeman of Fairplay; and stepdaughter, Michelle Marx of
Durango.
Memorials may be sent to Two South Oncology, ATTN: Deb
Anderson, 2525 S. Downing, Denver, CO 80210.
Ronald L. Stevens
passed away on Jan. 23, 2004. He was 57
years old. He was born Sept. 11,
1946, in Denver. Ron was raised in
east Denver and attended Denver
Public Schools. He was a Vietnam
veteran, having served from 1966-
1968. He married Kitty on Dec. 27,
1969. They were married for 34 years.
Ron and Kitty moved to Greeley, where he
attended the University of Northern Colorado.
He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in
Therapeutic Recreation, and went on to get his
Masters of Business Administration. They lived
in Greeley for 26 years. While living in Greeley,
Ron was active in Colorado Special Olympics,
as the Area Coordinator, and was also affiliated
with the Centennial Developmental Services.
While living in Greeley, Ron owned a
construction and remodeling company. For the
last 15 years he has owned Efficient Energy
Systems Corporation.
Fulfilling a lifelong dream of living in the
mountains, Ron and Kitty have lived the last
six years near Bailey, Colorado.
Ron was the husband of Kitty Hall Stevens;
father of Eric and Sean Stevens; grandfather of
Bailey Stevens; son of Robert (deceased) and
Virginia Stevens; brother of Robert (Puff)
Stevens and Donna (Mark) Kline; son-in-law to
Phil and Lucile Hall; and brother-in-law to Phil
(Linda) Hall and David Hall.
Ron was a wonderful son, husband, father,
grandfather, brother, in-law and friend. He will
be greatly missed by all.
Wilma Jean Cloyd
Wilma Jean Cloyd died Dec. 23, 2003, at Pikes Peak Hospice in
Colorado Springs after suffering from a heart attack and a
stroke. She was born Wilma Jean Lane in Shawnee,
Oklahoma July 7, 1928. In her early life she earned a degree in
Religious Education and married an Oklahoma Methodist
minister, Paul Kienholz. In later years she earned a degree in
Library Science and married Mason Cloyd, an Air Force
colonel. She played a key role in obtaining the resources to bring
Guffey both the community center and the library. She was
the initial librarian and also worked as a substitute teacher.
She is survived by: two children, Cheryl Davis and
Stephanie Nestlerode; one son-in-law, William Nestlerode;
four grandchildren, Lee Davis, Anne Davis, Ivan Nestlerode
and Jordan Nestlerode; and two sisters, Barbara Miller and
Mary Anna Brown.
A memorial service to honor and celebrate her life will be
held Sunday, Feb. 29 at 1 p.m. in the Community Room of
the Guffey Community Charter School. The time will be
devoted to hearing stories of her life from all wishing to
share them.
Persons wishing to make a donation in her name may
contribute a book or check to the Guffey Library. Checks
should be made payable to “Friends of the Guffey Library”
and sent to Guffey, CO 80820.
Richard Wayne Johnson
Richard Wayne Johnson, president of the board and founder
of the Cripple Creek District Museum, has died.
Johnson was born Feb. 24, 1922, to Claus Christian
Johnson and Bessie Bud Fessenden Johnson in
Havelock, Iowa. After attending the University of
Minnesota and George Washington University
with degrees in economics and philosophy, Johnson
traveled extensively in Europe before settling in
Paris. From 1945-1948, he worked for the United
Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration as director
of personnel for all of Europe. Upon his return to America,
Johnson was a co-founder of the Ballet Theatre and worked
as a tax consultant in Washington D.C. before coming to
Cripple Creek in 1951.
During his time in Cripple Creek, Johnson was instrumental
in promoting and performing a number of benevolent acts
for his beloved city. From 1951-1961, he was editor and
publisher of the Cripple Creek Gold Rush newspaper.
Following the death of his mother in 1954, he penned a
moving Mother’s Day editorial for which he received a
national journalism award.
In 1953, with the assistance of stage producer and good
friend Blevins Davis, Johnson worked to acquire the former
Midland Terminal Railroad Depot and founded the Cripple
Creek District Museum. He was a lifelong president of the
board and well-known for maintaining a dignified decorum at
the museum still in place today. In 1980, Johnson was
elected to the Board of Directors for the Bank of Cripple
Creek. He retired from the board in 2000.
Johnson entertained several celebrity guests, including
classmate Margaret Truman, Prince Mohmoud Reza Pahlevi
of Iran, Ethel Carlton, Julie Penrose and others. Other
notable friends included Lauren Bacall, Stella Stevens,
Mamie Eisenhower, Judy Garland, Lena Horn and a great
many political figures and men of national importance.
Johnson is preceded in death by his parents, as well as his
sister, Neva Hauswirth, and three brothers, Robert, Howard
and Hubert. He is survived by a fourth brother, William, of
Medina, Wash.; numerous nieces and nephews, and a host
of good friends who have considered him family, and his
loyal friend and caretaker, Erik Swanson.
Johnson was a lifetime member of the B.P.O.E. #316 Elks
Lodge in Cripple Creek. Services will take place at the lodge
on Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. The service is open to the public. In
lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Cripple Creek
District Museum, P.O. Box 1210, Cripple Creek, CO 80813.
