Karla Jean (Ritschard) Pond
Marriages
John Pond
Married 63 years
Obituaries
The Daily Sentinel page 5C - March 20, 2022
Karla Jean Pond, 87, of
Clifton, Colorado, passed
away March 11, 2022.
Karla is survived by her
loving husband of 63 years,
John Pond, of Clifton,
Colorado. John fell in love
with Karla in Grand Junction, where she was attending
college. The first night he met her, he noticed she had
a beautiful smile, which she carried with her until her
last day.
The young couple quickly wed and moved to Maine
for three years when John enlisted in the Army and,
thus, began a 63-year romance that remained joyful
through good times and steady through bad times.
Also survived by Karla are her daughters, Leslie
Irvin, of Walters, OK; Lori Prough, of Duncan, OK,
and Louise Ferguson, of Longmont, CO, and sons, John
Pond, of Grand Junction, CO, and Karl Pond, of Grand
Junction. Karla was grandmother to 17 grandchildren,
and 23 great-grandchildren. Also, surviving are her
beloved siblings, Herb Ritschard, Ruth Welz, James
Ritschard, Irene Ritschard, and Robert Ritschard.
Karla grew up on a working ranch in Kremmling,
CO, where she worked hard alongside her parents and
siblings to keep their family ranch thriving; she was
very proud to be a cowgirl! Karla filled the shoes of
many jobs in her life including Administrative Assistant
for the NSA in Washington, DC, a piano salesperson
in Denver, CO, a cook for both the local airport and
the local schools, an entrepreneur, and a wide-load
escort for truck drivers. One of Karla’s most satisfying
positions was the one she held for several years as a
volunteer to Heirlooms for Hospice, in Grand Junction,
CO. However, Karla’s biggest and most challenging
role was that of mom to five children, and as wife to an
over-the-road truck driver. Karla raised her children and
managed her home bravely and confidently whenever
John was away from home. She was an amazing woman
who will be missed greatly by her family and friends.
As per her wishes, Karla was cremated and she will
be honored in a funeral service at 11:00 a.m., March 26,
at First Presbyterian Church, 3940 27 1/2 Rd., Grand
Junction, CO. Services have been entrusted to Clifton
Funeral Home.
