Catherine Chamberlain Lax

Services are planned at a later date.

She was a teacher.

Survivors include her husband, Ernest R.; one son, Richard E. of Paonia; three daughters, Marilyn E. Lepp of Fair Hope, Alabama, Jeanne Marie of Clifton and Eileen M. Donald of El Dorado Springs; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions to Boys Town, P.O. Box 8000, Boys Town, NE 68010.

Catherine Chamberlain Lax

September 3, 1928 - June 22, 2016

The youngest of five children, Catherine Chamberlain Lax was born in East Chicago, Indiana in 1928 to an Irish mother and a French father. She passed away on June 22, 2016, surrounded by family in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Catherine and Ernest Richard Lax were married in 1950 and recently celebrated their 65th anniversary. While raising four children, Catherine earned a Bachelor's Degree from Indiana University and a Master's Degree from Purdue University in her chosen field of Education. She taught elementary school in Gary, Indiana before moving to Colorado in 1977, where she continued to teach in Grand Junction until she retired in 1991.

An accomplished pianist and lover of music, Catherine also taught piano lessons. Whenever the family hears Debussy's ""Clair de Lune"", which she played beautifully, they fondly think of her. Catherine was also known as a master storyteller of folktales, who sang along with her autoharp.

Catherine not only dedicated her life to educating others, she herself was a life-time learner. She was a voracious reader of biographies and other historical books, and acquired an impressive collection of rare books. Her interest in history accompanied her passion for genealogy research and uncovering her own family's roots.

A true feminist, Catherine was extraordinarily knowledgeable of the past and current political landscapes. She raised her children and influenced her grandchildren to become strong, independent, and educated.

Catherine is survived by her husband, Ernest Lax; children, Marilyn Lepp, Jeanne Marie, Eileen Donald, and Richard Lax; grandchildren, Michelle Trujillo, Erin Gilkerson, E.S. III, Cheryl Lepp-Armstrong, Niki Arnhold, Kylie Mayfield, Megan Lax, Robert Donald, and Lindsay Curry; and nine great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary, 2515 Patterson Road, Grand Junction.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Boys Town, PO Box 8000, Boys Town, NE 68010 or www.boystown.org.