Colleen Gray

Colleen Arletta Gray, 64, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, September 2, 2014. Colleen was born September 21, 1949 in Fort Hood, Texas. She was raised on a farm near Hankinson, North Dakota where she was the eldest of 12 children born to Arlo and Marguerite Gray. She attended grades 1-8 at Greendale #3, a one-room country school, and graduated from high school at St. Francis Academy in Hankinson. She attended North Dakota State University in Fargo, where she played in the Gold Star Marching Band. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics Education. During college, she worked summers at Yellowstone National Park. She lived briefly in St. Paul, Minnesota where she worked as social worker and was also certified as Ski Patrol at Welch Village. Colleen then moved to Colorado in 1974 where she enjoyed an impressive variety of careers including: floral design, bath and boutique shop owner, drywall finishing, taxi driver, Mary Kay Cosmetics director and consultant, and over 20 years in the travel industry. She was proud to be a breast cancer survivor. Colleen was an excellent photographer, cook, and golfer. She also enjoyed playing trivia and visiting garage sales with her many local friends. She was active in her community and enjoyed participating in local politics. Above all else, Colleen will be remembered most for her passion for travel, and we know that she is now traveling first class with God as her pilot.

She is survived by her daughter, Molly (Gene) Fiechtl, and her three grandchildren, Sophia, Josef, and Graycen Fiechtl. She is also survived by her sister, Catherine Gray, brothers James Gray (Laurel), Michael Gray (Cathy), sisters Charlotte (Jim) Beeler, Beth (Paul) Tiegs, Margaret (Don) Hennicker, brothers Philip (Sherry) Gray, Walter (Kimberli) Gray, sister Lori Shellito, brother Larry Gray, many nieces and nephews, and close friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Oliver G. Stone, her parents, Arlo and Marguerite Gray, and infant brother, Berton Gray.

A Celebration of Colleen's life will take place on Friday, September 26, 2014 at 1 pm at the Horan & McConaty Chapel, 1091 S. Colorado Boulevard, Denver CO. A memorial service will be held in Hankinson, North Dakota at St. Philip's Catholic Church on Sunday, September 28, 2014.