OBITUARIES

Betty L Watson

April 22, 1922 - April 3, 2023

After her husband passed, Betty moved to Castle Rock to be near some family.

Betty is survived by her 5 children.

Keith (Diana) Bramer of Castle Rock, Kathy (Jim) Bowers, Sherri Bramer; Barbara

Memorial service, First United Methodist Church of Castle Rock on Wednesday, April 19 at 11 am.

Ethel Rene Wesson

November 28, 1931 - March 24, 2023

Celebrating the Life of Ethel Rene Wesson

Ethel Rene Wesson was born November 28, 1931 to Ethel Lugertha Ford in Memphis, Tennessee.

Ethel relocated to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1965. A few years later graduated from Metropolitan Community College KC receiving an Associate in Arts Degree.

Ethel was married to Albert Wesson who preceded her in death. She was a devoted mother to her daughter, Barbara Lewis and son Herbert Tillman. She was employed in the healthcare industry with Menorah Medical Center, Trinity Lutheran Hospital and retired from Baptist Medical Center. During her service she was an active member of the Dietary Association.

As a young adult Ethel became a member of the Vance Avenue Church of Christ in Memphis, Tennessee. A lifelong member of the Swope Parkway Church of Christ located in Kansas City Mo. Ethel gave unsel shly of her time, resources and talent while serving as church culinary manager, prison ministry member and in the singing group. She was also closely a liated with the Inner City Church of Christ.

In 2019 she relocated with her daughter to Parker Colorado to be close to more family and shortly after arriving became a member of the Parker Church of Christ. Ethel’s soft voice and tenacity in community leadership as president of NAMI’s board, (the National Alliance on Mental Illness), class Instructor of Mental Illness Class, Prisoner Advocacy, supported the CIT-KC (Crisis Intervention Team) and the Kansas City Levy Board member.

Her fun activities included traveling to Alaska, Germany, Italy and many trips with the Seniors Travel Group at Swope Park Church of Christ. Her favorite exercise was walking long distances even at age 91 years old, singing member of the Kansas City Women’s Chorus and square dancing. She is preceded in death by her mother, Ethel Lugertha Ford, brother, Mack Russell Ford, and sister, Bessie Mae Fuller and departed friend Mamie Williams.

Answering her call to eternal life on Friday, March 24, 2023. Ethel leaves to cherish her memories to, her daughter, Barbara L omas, son, Herbert T Green, brother, Henry Sylvester Waller (Beverly Burnett), grand-daughter Scherrazade Conner, grandson, Ellington D omas (Sarah), three great grand-children, Sierra Conner, Braeden omas and Amara omas, host of nieces, nephews, cousins and special lifelong friendships of May Holland and Barbara Shear.

Warm Hearts Warm Babies serves hospitals, agencies across Colorado

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Surrounded by colorful fabric patterns, handmade baby items and frequent laughter, volunteers of the Warm Hearts Warm Babies nonpro t went to work on a Friday morning to put together layettes for organizations who need them.

e nonpro t has a list of roughly 40 agencies it delivers items to throughout Colorado, said Kathleen Williams, the nonpro t’s grant coordinator. e list includes the Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Platte Valley Medical Center and Denver Medical Center.

“Warm Hearts is totally made up of volunteers,” said Sandi Powis, president of the board of directors. “Everyone’s volunteering with their heart and skills to make things for newborn (babies), preemies to help them get a good start in this world.”

Volunteers sew, knit, crochet and quilt items such as bibs, burp pads, jackets, hats and blankets. e items are assembled into a layette, which is a collection of clothing and accessories for newborn infants.

Each layette contains a quilt, two receiving blankets, bibs, burp pads, clothing and a goodie bag containing items such as a bottle, some diapers and a small toy. ese items are delivered in a handmade tote bag.

“All these items are made with love,” Powis said. “We don’t connect to the individuals personally. We deliver the layettes to hospitals, birthing centers, food banks — anyone that can help us help the newborn.” e nonpro t also o ers items for the neonatal intensive care units at hospitals in Colorado, such as positioning roles that are used to help support the infants.

A number of the mothers who receive these items are experiencing homelessness, sometimes living in shelters or in their cars, Williams said.

“We also provide clothing for babies that don’t survive, from tiny little babies to full-term babies,” Williams said. “We have clothing for them that we hand out at the hospitals.”

Included in those burial layettes is a cloth-made envelope intended for the parents to hold important items and memories, Powis said.

“It’s sad, but it’s so important,” Powis said. “And to know that a mom wouldn’t have to go out, or send her mom or her sister to go out and nd things for her precious one that has passed — that it can be given to them and that’s not a worry for them.”

How it began e nonpro t’s origin dates back to 1996, when a woman named Victoria Swain gave birth to a stillborn infant, according to the nonpro t’s website. e hospital she was at could not provide a blanket or clothes for her infant, prompt- ing Swain to look into how she could help donate these types of items.

After recruiting some volunteers and spending a few years working through a di erent organization called Newborns in Need, in 2000, Swain and the other board members decided to create their own nonpro t: Warm Hearts Warm Babies.

Powis estimated the nonpro t currently has about 200 volunteers and 12 work groups throughout the state including in Arvada, Brighton, Littleton and ornton.

Powis is part of the work group in Conifer, where she lives. She joined the organization roughly six years ago.

“I’ve been doing things for babies for many years, donating to other groups, but they were all missing something. ere was no social connection with anyone else making things,” Powis said. “I found that they had a local organization up here in Conifer and it was like, that’s it — that’s one I can link up with. I can meet people right here in our community.”

Williams learned about the nonpro t through a quilt show, as representatives of the organization had a table at the event. Living in Aurora at the time, she initially joined the Aurora group. Since then, she has moved to Colorado Springs

SEE IN NEED, P15