Raymond Danton

Raymond D. Danton died March 19, 2016, at home in Denver, Colo. He was 70. The cause was complications of multiple myeloma.

A Massachusetts native, he moved to Colorado in 1974 to open a Denver office of Ashland Petroleum. He was a fixture in the energy business, forming his own trading company Procoil in 1978 and the oil and gas production firm Fuel Exploration Inc. in 1979. He remained active as an energy trader until shortly before his death.

Outside the office, he enjoyed a stint in the 1980s racing stock cars on the semi-pro circuit; and was an avid skier, cyclist and hiker in the Rockies. He was also fond of traveling in Latin America, where he took great pride in scaling mountains in Ecuador, Guatemala and Argentina.

Born in Springfield, Mass., on Jan. 17, 1946, he graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor's in general science from what was then known as Westfield State College in Westfield, Mass., and earned a Master's in geology in 1968 from Central Connecticut State College (now University) in New Britain, Conn., where he met his wife, Rebecca Dohl. They married in 1970 and divorced in 1985.

He is survived by a son, Eric R. Danton of Northampton, Mass., and his wife, Sara J. Brenneis; a daughter, Rachael E. Danton of Jacksonville, Fla., and her husband, Christopher Stell; and a grandson, Charles Brenneis Danton, of Northampton, Mass.

There will be no funeral service. Memorial contributions may be made to the Blood Cancers and BMT Program through the University of Colorado Hospital Foundation, 2400 S. Peoria St., Aurora, CO 80014.