Eva Winifred(Wynne) Richardson May 21, 1928 – May 15, 2020
Eva Winifred (Wynne) Richardson passed away May 15, 2020, at Heritage Care Center in Carbondale from natural causes.The daughter of Dr. Guy E. and Ruby Nedrow Calonge, Wynne was born on May 21, 1928 in La Junta, Colorado, where she had an adventurous childhood.
At an early age Wynne was a social butterfly who loved attention. She drug her wagon through parades with her beloved dolls. She learned to trick ride, hanging upside down off the side of a horse and also to do a Roman Stand with straps around the swells of the saddle. At 14, she began taking private flying lessons on an open cockpit Steerman, only because her brother was flying. In spite of experiencing air sickness virtually every time, Wynne flew 40 hours solo and achieved the loop to loop.
In high school she rode the train to Ashton, Idaho, in the summer to help move her relatives 1000 head of cattle towards the West Yellowstone area. Also, in the summers she worked as a lifeguard at the La Junta pool, she not only taught swimming but also gave the pool its weekly scrubbing. She even managed to save her cousin from drowning.
High school years found Wynne dressed to kill. Busy attending dances, participating in Rainbow Girls and marching with the school band. During her Junior year she began dating her lifelong companion, Daryl. They were married December 11, 1949. Two years later in 1951 Wynne graduated from the University of Colorado School of Nursing in Denver.
In 1955, at Wynne’s insistence, the family purchased the Tuttle livestock ranch (formerly the Vulcan Ranch) at what is now known as Riverbend near New Castle. This new adventure was a shock to both of them as they knew nothing about ranching. Wynne knew horses and how to herd cattle and Daryl knew farming, so together they made a good team. The Hereford cattle wore the ))c brand (Double Quarter Circle C ) and were pastured in South Canyon and on the flat tops near Meadow Lake.
In 1973, they sold part of the ranch and bought another ranch at Nina View south of La Junta, Co. The move was necessary because Wynne was determined to care for her elderly mother. 1977 brought them back to the Glenwood Springs area where they purchased the Farnum Mortuary. In 1986, Daryl sold the mortuary and the couple started enjoying life in South Canyon and being a snowbird in Queen Valley, Arizona, where they made many friends through their active social life.
After travel to Arizona became too difficult, Daryl and Wynne relocated to West Glenwood and later Grand Junction. After Daryl’s passing in 2018, Wynne asserted her independence by putting herself into an assisted living facility in Carbondale, where she remained until her death.
Wynne was an active member of the New Castle Women’s Club, Holy Cross Cattlewomen’s Assoc., Rainbow Girls, Gideons, the 100 club, Glenwood Springs Art Guild and a supporter and a leader of Garfield County 4-H. Wynne’s ability to organize activities down to minute details will be missed by those who rode the high country with her, boated at Lake Powell, shopped, or enjoyed her company at the beauty shops.
Survivors include sons Hiram (Ann), El Jebel; Tye (Maureen), Glenwood Springs; and daughter Ruby, Carbondale. She has eight special grandchildren, Jessica Frye, Grand Junction; Lana (Perry) Berry, Queen Creek, Az; Levi (Kayla) Frye, Phoenix, Az; Brandon (Megan) Richardson, Chicago, Illinois; Sarah Richardson MD, Casper, Wyoming; Tiffany (Justin) Mackey, Arvada, Colorado; Breanna (Hunter) McCallum, Glenwood Springs, Colorado; Mikaela Richardson, Whitefish, Montana. And from there are eight wonderful great grandchildren. Hunter, Jens, and True Tobiasson, Grand Junction, Colorado; Jacob, Jade, Jenae, and Jet Berry, Queen Creek, Arizona; Jaxon Mackey, Arvada, Colorado.
She was preceded in death by her husband Daryl, daughter Daryln, and brother Guy.In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to the Gideons International.
Memorial services pending due to Covid.