Mildred Elaine (Moore) Orwen
Burial Details
Obituaries
The Daily Sentinel page 6A - February 19, 2020
Mildred Elaine Orwen, 91, of Fruita, died Feb. 13, 2020, at Aspen
Ridge. She was a paralegal. Service 1 p.m. March 7, at CallahanEdfast Mortuary.
The Daily Sentinel page 3D Obituary - March 1, 2020
Mildred Elaine
Orwen
February 13, 1929 - February 13, 2020
Mildred always wanted to
know what there was to see on
the other side of that hill. Well,
she had another hill to climb
to see what was there. Now
she knows God’s grace and
everlasting love for her.
Mildred Elaine Moore was
born to Charles and Lenore
Moore on February 13, 1929, in rural Delaware, Oklahoma, and
joined them again on her 91st birthday, February 13, 2020.
She was their only child. She was baptized in the First Christian
Church in Blackwell, Oklahoma as an infant. She grew up in
Blackwell surrounded and supported by her loving grandmother
and grand aunt. She attended elementary and high school in
Blackwell graduating in 1946. She loved the fact that she was an
only child and told everyone she was spoiled and didn’t intend to
change. As Tiffani said, she lived life large.
As a young teen she grew up during WWII, and that shaped the
person she became as an adult. She had many suitors during the war
and was proud of the fact that she supported the boys who fought
for our freedom. She was always fiercely loyal and patriotic to her
country. She volunteered for 19 years at the VA Hospital in Grand
Junction, Colorado.
As a young wife and mother, she worked many jobs throughout
the central Midwest. One of her favorites was as a Police Dispatcher
in Great Bend, Kansas. She was also was proud to serve as President
of the Blackwell, Oklahoma Chapter of American Business Women
Association in the 1970s and was a Charter Member. She attended
the University of Oklahoma where she obtained a degree as a Legal
Assistant/Paralegal. She was also a Charter Member of the National
Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.
During her retirement years she was blessed to enjoy RVing and
traveling throughout the United States. As she said, “Always the
Gypsy.” When she was young her Dad told her that the Gypsies
exchanged her for his daughter. She loved to travel and see what
there was to see. Seems she gave some of that gene to her favorite
(and only) granddaughter! During retirement, Mildred was active
in the Red Hat Ladies Association in Grand Junction and also a
member of The Embroiderers’ Guild of America, Inc. Desert West
Chapter. She was blessed and talented with her embroidery work
and won many awards and ribbons. She also made prayer shawls for
the Methodist Church in Aurora.
She spent the last 40 years in the Grand Valley. She loved the
mountains, colors, and majestic landscapes, but she always said you
can take the Okie out of Oklahoma but you can never take the Okie
out of the girl. She will be buried with her parents in Blackwell,
Oklahoma.
Mildred left many blessings to her family but the most important
was the importance of family, blood related or by-the-heart. She
always said draw a circle and invite them in. She loved holidays and
family events. There was always an extra or two sitting around the
holiday tables; no one was to be left out or alone. Mildred always
loved her pets - and there were many during her life. She was also
a voracious (her word) reader - there was never enough time to read
everything she wanted to read. She instilled this in all her children
and grandchildren.
Mildred was predeceased by Arthur Lewis in 1983, and James
Orwen in 2006.
She is survived by her son, Thomas Spruill (Roberta) from Topeka,
KS; daughters, Deborah Kulling (William) from Aurora, CO, and
Karen Lewan (James) from Morro Bay, CA; five grandchildren
that she adored, Shawn Spruill (Shelly), Wichita, KS; Eric Beaty,
Denver, CO; Shane Boley (Veronica), Owasso, OK; Tiffani Masar,
Ft. Morgan, CO, and Matthew Spruill (Michelle), Bristow, OK;
great-grandchildren, Christian (Vanessa) and Dakota Spruill
of Wichita, KS; Madison Masar, Ft. Collins, CO; Taylor Boley,
Owasso, OK and Nathan Spruill, Topeka, KS; step-grandsons,
Brandon and Shaun (Katlan Spruill, Topeka, KS; step-grandsons,
Brandon and Shaun (Katlyn) Cochran, Wichita, KS; great-greatstep-granddaughters, Abigail Reese, and Adilynn Cochran; sonof-the-heart, Fred Boley, Porum, OK, and daughter-of-the-heart,
Vee Stanley, Grand Junction, CO; of course, there is ‘Tickel’
(her favorite) of Oklahoma City, OK, and her faithful four-legger
companion, Cece.
The family would like to extend a sincere and loving thanks to
Steve and Nancy Turley and Steve Stanley for all the love that they
have given to our Mother; also, to all the employees at Aspen Ridge
Special Care Center for their love and attention given to Mildred
and Cece.
Mildred was a lady of purple - as you are all aware of and the
family would ask that you wear purple to the services. Mildred
would love that!
A memorial service will take place Saturday, March 7, 2020, at
Callahan-Edfast Mortuary at 1:00 p.m. Reception to follow service.
In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to HopeWest, 3090B
North 12th Street, Grand Junction, CO 81506 or The Gideons Bible
of Grand Junction, c/o Gideons Grand Mesa Camp, P. O. Box 755,
Clifton, CO 8152
