Dorothy “Buffie” Gearhart was born January 19, 1928 to Pat and Eunice Clyborn in Rainsboro, Ohio, and at 4 months old was on her way to Ouray, Colorado with her parents in a Model T Ford.
During the depression she lived in a number of towns mostly on the Western Slope. Her father took any job he could find during the early days in Colorado, which included managing the Ouray pool for eight summers.
She attended 7 schools in 12 years. She graduated from Mt. Healthy High School (Ohio) in 1946 and entered Mesa Junior College in the fall.
Buffie married W. L. (Red) Gearhart in Grand Junction on June 25, 1948. Red had polio at age 22 and was able to overcome it and raised his family.
The family moved to Moab, Utah in 1953 during the uranium “boom” and lived there for 11 years. Then the family moved to Grand Junction so Buffie could work with her mother who owned Grand Junction Welcome Service. She continued the business for 39 years, visiting over 19,000 new families to the area.
During those years she was very active in the community working closely with Grand Junction Welcoming Club and the Chamber of Commerce. She was a member of the Altrusa Club and Women’s Division of the Chamber Commerce serving as President for both.
Upon retiring she became caregiver for her mother and mother–in–law and had time to play Pinochle with seven other ladies.
She is survived by son, Lee (Marie); and daughter, Lou Pickering; grandsons, Thomas (Venessa) Pickering and Kevin Pickering; and her four delightful great-grandchildren, Braden, Dylan. Jordan, and Mandie Lou.
Her memorial service will be Tuesday, November 5, at 3PM at Callahan Edfast Mortuary.
Donations please to Rocky Mountain PBS 1060 Orchard Ave, Grand Junction, CO 81501.
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