Mildred Horsley

Mildred Patton Horsley, known to everyone as Mimi, died August 17 after a year-long battle with colon cancer. She was 85.

Mimi had a great zest for life and loved gardening, travel, flower-arranging, wildflower treks with her great circle of hiking buddies, martinis, opera and symphony concerts, watching sunsets from Cranmer Park, and liberal Democratic politics.

Most of all, she was devoted to her three children, Lynn, David and Scott, and was the most wonderful mother and friend imaginable.

She was born Oct. 30, 1929, the day after the Stock Market crashed, but it wasn't an omen for her life. She had a happy childhood with loving parents in Durham, N.C., and spent carefree summers with her sister Alice and cousin Betty, despite living in the South in a time of no air conditioning.

She graduated from Duke University (where her group of best friends had the senior class motto "More Fun in '51") and later married Dr. Howard T. Horsley. They lived in Germany and New York before moving to Denver in the late 1950s. After they divorced in the mid-1970s, Mimi went to work at Colorado National Bank at 8th and Colorado Boulevard for 18 years and then worked as a receptionist for the medical practice of Adele Sykes and Judy Paley.

Mimi showed us all that life really begins at retirement. She took fantastic trips to Machu Picchu Peru, Tanzania, Egypt, Costa Rica, Baja Mexico, Italy, Alaska, the American Southwest and many other places in the U.S.

She adored hiking all over the Colorado mountains, and savored the details of every wildflower along the way. She did community gardening at both the Botanic Gardens and Denver Urban Gardens, volunteered at the Denver public library and with various political campaigns, attended fascinating lectures with Olli and Active Minds, and made friends wherever she went. She just drew people to her with her vivacious and uplifting personality.

Mimi is survived by her daughter Lynn of Kansas City, Mo., son David and partner Joann Le of Portland, Ore., and son Scott of Washington D.C.

It takes a village to care for someone with end-stage cancer, and Mimi was blessed with wonderful caregivers, including Dr. Sarah Conlon, the nurses from Denver Hospice, home care providers from Home Instead, and care coordinators Chris Reifenrath and Jennifer Pagano. The family also wishes to thank the incredible neighbors and friends who called, shared helpful advice and good cheer, brought food, and provided company to make Mimi's last days more enjoyable. We couldn't have done it without you.

In lieu of memorial flowers, contributions may be made to the Denver Botanic Gardens or to Planned Parenthood.

A celebration of Mimi's life will be held Saturday, August 29 at 11 am at the Horan and McConaty chapel, 1091 South Colorado Boulevard, followed by a reception at the family home.