2 Fort Lupton Press
March 3, 2022
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Marlys Jean (Einspahr) Harp April 25, 1940 - February 21, 2022
Mrs. Marlys Jean Harp of Brighton, Colorado died peacefully on February 21 at the age of 81, surrounded by friends and family.
Marlys was born April 25, 1940, to Lorenz and Esther (née Meyer) Einspahr at the Einspahr home just north of Holyoke, Colorado. She was baptized May 12, 1940, at Zion Lutheran Church in Holyoke and was confirmed there on April 11, 1954. Marlys attended Holyoke public schools and graduated from Phillips County High School with the class of 1958. Her class was small but mighty, and to this day they continue gathering for reunions every five years and reminiscing, a highlight of Marlys’s social calendar that she looked forward to planning and attending. From a very early age Marlys demonstrated a talent and love for music. Marlys first served as a professional musician when she became the organist at Zion in Holyoke, setting her on a lifelong career as a leader of music in the church. She attended Concordia Teacher’s College (now Concordia University) in Seward, Nebraska and graduated in 1964 with a degree in Education. Even before graduation, Marlys began her teaching career, landing a position at Zion Lutheran School in Brighton, Colorado. Marlys taught hundreds of students at Zion in more than 25 years leading music for the school and teaching first grade. Her students remember her strict-butkind teaching style and still fondly recall the elaborate Spring Concerts and Christmas programs that she would organize each year.
choirs and soloists – Marlys loved entertaining her congregation and community, complete with costumes and corny jokes. Even as she was in the hospital, she was jotting down ideas for her next program. Marlys enjoyed hosting meetings of the Brighton Euterpean Society, where she and her musically inclined friends would entertain each other with solos and collaborations followed by coffee and conversation. She also lent her talents to Brighton Music, accompanying and participating in orchestral concerts several times each year. Marlys met and married her husband of 52 years, Robert (Bob) Harp in 1965, falling in love with him even though he “couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.” They were the last couple to be married at the old Zion Lutheran Church on Strong Street before the church moved across town. Together they would raise two sons, Vaughn and David, in whom Marlys instilled her passion for music, bringing them up to play violin, piano and several other instruments. Her home was perpetually filled with music.
Her love of music was surpassed only by her love of family. Marlys relished every opportunity to get together with relatives and was a legendary hostess, known especially for highly competitive card tournaments and game nights. She particularly delighted in seeing her granddaughter Aurelia perform and blossom into a pianist, singer, dancer, and actress. Marlys’s final public appearance on the organ was with Aurelia on Christmas Eve, Marlys loved practicing organ and piano and 2021 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in eventually became the Organist and Director Moorestown, New Jersey where they played a piano/organ duet with hardly a dry eye in the of Music at Zion, a position she would hold for over 50 years until her retirement in 2015. congregation. Marlys was preceded in death by her She briefly served in the same capacity at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church in Denver, as well and husband Bob and her son, Vaughn. She is survived by her son David (Kristin) Harp; continued playing as a substitute organist for various congregations in the Denver area and granddaughter Aurelia; three siblings: Mrs. northern Colorado even after her retirement. Vivian A. Ruby of Brush, Colorado, Mr. Clyde D. Einspahr and his wife Phyllis Her church was the center of her life, and of Holyoke, Colorado, and Mr. Byron B. she participated in social and community Einspahr of St. Petersburg, Florida; as well as outreach activities of the church outside of music, including several terms as President of numerous nieces and nephews. the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League A celebration of life took place at Zion (LWML). Lutheran Church, 1400 Skeel Street in Marlys established the bell choir program at Zion in the early 1970s and built a highly regarded program that at one time included as many as four bell choirs that performed at bell festivals throughout the area. Her knowledge and dedication to the art of bell ringing led her to serve as the Rocky Mountain Region President of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. Children’s choirs, vocal choirs, bell MORALES
Brighton on Tuesday, March 1 at 10:00 AM. Burial followed at Elmwood Cemetery in Brighton. Memorials honoring Marlys may be designated to Zion Lutheran Church Music Fund. To donate online, go to zionbrighton. org click “Give Now” and select “Memorial Fund,” or donate by mail to 1400 Skeel St., Brighton, CO 80601. Tabor Funeral Home, Brighton, CO handled arrangements.
Leo P. Morales
November 16, 1944 - February 19, 2022
Leo P. Morales, 77, of Denver, Colorado passed away peacefully on February 19th, 2022, surrounded by his family and loved ones. He was born in Brighton Colorado on November 16th, 1944, spent several years in the army and returned to Colorado. Leo will be dearly missed and always remembered. His passions included caring for his family, fishing, football and drinking a cold Coors light. He had a comforting spirit and a smile that would light up any room.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years Patricia A. Morales, his daughters Michelle, Dionne and Melissa, 5 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Leo requested a celebration of life to be held in his honor. We request all of Leo’s loved ones to join us in celebrating his beautiful life at Radiance Church at 8301 Rosemary Street in Commerce City on March 3rd, 2022. The memorial service will begin at 10am with a reception to follow from 11am-1pm.
MAGNUSON
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Elsie “Sandy” (Lindner) Magnuson May 25, 1932 - February 21, 2022
Elsie (Sandy) Magnuson passed away on 2/21/22. She was born on 5/25/32 to Louise (Bogert) and Arthur Lindner, the 5th generation of a Keokuk, IA family. She graduated from HS in 1950 and attended University of Northern Iowa. She came to Denver, Colorado on March 1, 1954 and was married to Edward (Pete) Magnuson on November 6, 1954. Both were charter members of Northglenn United Church of Christ and were active in the Youth Group and Girl Scouts. She was HEITSCHMIDT
a Federal employee for 30 years. Her lifelong interests were gardening, art, history, and family. She was preceded in death by her husband and greatgranddaughter Jessica Ridgeway. She is survived by her three daughters, Christine, Gay and Wendy, along with 4 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. A coffee in her honor will be held from 1-4pm Monday, March 7, 2022, at Westview Recreation Center, 10747 W. 108 th Ave, Westminster, CO
Allen Gene Heitschmidt
October 21, 1941 - February 22, 2022
Allen Gene Heitschmidt was born on October 21,1941 in Great Bend, Kansas to Walter C. & Verna M.A. Heitschmidt. He was the middle of three boys.
in-law Jon (2008) and Andrew (2009) followed by five grandchildren.
In January 1951 the family moved to the farm in Brighton, Colorado. Allen graduated from Brighton High School in 1959. He then went on to the University of Colorado in Boulder. Partway through college he joined the Army and was deployed to Korea. Upon the death of his father, he was honorably discharged to help his mother on the farm. He then returned to Boulder and completed his degree in chemistry. After college he got a job as a quality control engineer for IBM in Boulder. He continued to live and work on the farm as well. He traveled frequently to Japan throughout his career, as well as to France, Germany, and Switzerland. He retired from Lexmark (IBM) in 2001.
He was a dedicated servant of the church, both at Zion and then Mt. Calvary. Allen loved to interact with people, whether he knew them or not. While he could be quite serious, he also had quick and dry sense of humor. In his retirement years he enjoyed gardening, baking, playing cards, wine making, traveling, and spoiling his “perfect” grandchildren. Allen was preceded in death by his father, mother, and older brother, Wayne. He is survived by his wife, Kathy; daughters, Julie (Jon) Schmidt and Debbie (Andrew) Boernke; five grandchildren; aunt, Mary Louise Behrhorst; brother, Edwin Heitschmidt; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Memory In Loving
In 1973 he met a teacher named Kathy Fink. They were married on February 1, 1975 at Zion Lutheran Church in Brighton. Their family grew with the addition of Julie in 1976 and Debbie in 1979. In 1985 the family moved off the farm and into town. The family grew again with the addition of sons-
Services honoring Allen were on Monday, February 28, 2022, beginning at 2:00 p.m., at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, 650 South Park Avenue, in Fort Lupton, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Zion Lutheran School, 1400 Skeel Street, Brighton, Colorado 80601 and Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Fort Lupton, Colorado. Tabor Funeral Home, Brighton, CO handled arrangements.
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