Thelma Huntington

Thelma Huntington 91 of Fort Collins passed away February 11, 2016 of natural causes. She was born on June 23, 1924 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
When Thelma was sixteen years old, her family moved to Tucson, Arizona. Times were tough and instead of continuing her education, she went to work as a telephone operator to help support her family.
It was in Tucson that she met her husband, Dick Huntington from Hesperus, Colorado. Dick was serving in the U.S. Army, and they married in Tucson in 1942. Thelma moved to Hesperus in 1944 and lived with Dick’s family while he finished his time with the Army.
When Dick returned from World War II, they purchased a ranch at Hesperus, CO. They raised Hereford cattle and Quarter Horses. Thelma was the city girl that found out that ranch life in the West wasn’t for sissies. She was Dick’s right hand man on the ranch, plus fed hired men, had a big garden, and raised laying hens and fryers.
Thelma went back to school when her youngest daughter was in Junior High and got her GED. Following that, she was a part-time employee with the Postal Service.
In 1982 she moved to Fort Collins to be closer to her three daughters.
While in Hesperus, Thelma was active in Breen Grange, Breen Busy Bees and Cansurmount. In Fort Collins she did volunteer work at the Outreach Center at Christ Center Community Church. In 2010 she was honored with the Channel 7 News Every Day Hero Award for her time and commitment to the program. She was a talented seamstress including making her daughter’s wedding dresses. She gave away many of her hand knitted afghans and her famous dish cloths. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren loved their Grammy time.
Everyone loved Thelma. No matter what obstacles she endured in her life, she maintained a positive attitude. She knew how to be a good friend, and she has taught her family the value of strong family bonds and taught them how to live and how to die. She will be missed by all that knew her.
Thelma was preceded in death by her husband, Dick, her parents, William and Anna Thomas, sisters, Violet Keith and Dot Bingham and brother, Ed Thomas; brother-in-law, Lawrence Huntington and son-in-law, Bill Leonard.
Survivors include, daughters, Diana Crego (Larry) of Fort Collins, Iris Leonard of Lakewood and Dixie Fagerlin (Pete) of Holyoke. Seven grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, Connie Huntington, sister-in-law, Francis Hotter and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Thelma’s life will be held at 4pm on Saturday, February 20th at Allnutt Funeral Home in Fort Collins at 650 W Drake Rd, Fort Collins. Burial will be at Greenmount Cemetery in Durango, CO.
Being a cancer survivor, Thelma had a passion for helping those going through that journey. Her wishes, in lieu of flowers, were that donations be made to the PVH/MCR Foundation Cancer and Oncology Services in care of Allnutt Funeral Service in memory of Thelma Huntington.
The family would like to thank New Mercer Commons, Centre Rehabilitation and Pathways Hospice for the compassionate care they gave Thelma in her last days.