It is with intense joy that I will be with Von as she ascends into the Heavens aboard the spacecraft Excelsior. She is a part of our lives forever, soon to be passing above daily, and to later return to earth as a shooting star. On that remarkable evening, so far in the future, I will be there loving her and wishing for her joy and peace in the world and for myself to be with her again.
Von was artistic and passionate in all her life's pursuits. She especially had a unique talent and appreciation for color, fashion, and art. She expressed herself on canvas with paint, pencil, and charcoal, created jewelry, designed fused glass, and creating sparks welding. There were no limits in her creatively or boxes that held her back. In grade school she drew a cow and colored it blue to which her teacher scolded stating cows were not supposed to be blue. From that moment on Von wondered what if cows were blue and lived an adventurous life where everything was possible.
As I reminisce, I recall the beauty of our joining as one, married in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. I can still visualize standing on the dock of a small lake, gazing across the water to my soon to be bride. She glided across the water with granddaughter Jackie casting golden colored aspen leaves across the water with son Bobby guiding the boat. Arriving at the dock to her husband to be with music in the background from children Josiah and Miranda while we stood among friends. A remarkable day as where so many in our lives.
She owned several businesses in Iowa and Colorado during her time on earth. Her love of art in all forms, steadfast joy of teaching others and supporting local artist lead to the opening of Colori Gallery & Studios in Basalt, CO. There she represented over 50 artists, hosted studios for 8 in-house artists, and shared the joy of the native American flute teaching others. In the studio She created her most favorite art piece, a vibrant, multicolored, cute bunny rabbit affectionately named Harvey (from the 1950 Jimmy Stewart movie). The rabbit quicky became a friend of the blue cow.
In addition to art, Von lived her passion for making a positive difference in the lives of others and for personal growth. As the Director of Fun and Learning she enriched the daily lives of elderly residents living in a care facility. In 2010 Von returned to college and graduated from the Colorado Women's College at the University of Denver in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in communication and information technology. In 2012, she was honored by her classmates with the annual Student Spirit Award. Many of her classmates shared that Von was an inspiration and helped them find their voice, no longer quiet or timid to share their beliefs and to act on their values.
To know Von, was to love Von. She is truly the colors of the rainbow and is remembered for her kind and generous heart, love of people, sense of adventure, talent to capture beauty, and for her unyielding support in our lives as we were blessed to be in hers. It is fitting that Von will fly into the heavens, ever watchful in beauty over our lives. As we look to the heavens, she is twinkling back to us forever.
