Jack H. Sluss

Jack H. Sluss passed peacefully April 6, 2015. Born 12/9/1929 in Milwaukee, to John and Grace. Married to Betty Ann Faries from 1952-1976, Married to Louise Sanford from 1978-2009. Married Ida Sinden in 2012.

His university education culminated with a Ph.D. in Music Education from UNC Greeley, CO.

He served as an Army Artillery Officer in the US and Korea.

Jack thoroughly loved to impart his knowledge of music – instrumental and vocal – in formal classroom settings and later, after retirement, to his children and grandchildren. He taught elementary, junior, high school band and choir in Oregon and Colorado, and in Washington at Seattle Pacific College. He was a part-time instructor at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, CO. for 2 years, leading a graduate brass class. Outside of the academic setting he enjoyed directing church choirs.

Trumpet was his primary instrument. He played 1st Trumpet in the Eugene Civic Symphony Orchestra in Eugene, OR. 1st Trumpet in the Greeley Philharmonic, 1st Trumpet in the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra. He also loved participating in big band swing ensembles. His musical outlets shifted to piano and choir, and he participated in several Ft. Collins groups, including First Presbyterian Church, St. Luke’s Episcopal, and Laudamus Chamber Chorale. His organizational memberships included Kappa Kappa Psi, Oregon Music Educators Association, Colorado Music Educators Association, and the National Conference of Music Educators.

After teaching in the classroom his professional career spanned the real estate and travel industries. He challenged himself in his late 70’s to educate himself in computers and digital cameras, though his photos seemed rarely to vary from sunsets or fish.

Golf, fishing, travel were his favorite avocations, and his happiest moments came while imparting music knowledge and fishing lore to his youngest 4 grandkids in Ft. Collins. He and Ida dutifully followed his granddaughters’(Lauren & Grace) middle and high school basketball teams, and he scoured the papers for the box scores following an away game.

He is survived by his wife Ida, son Mark, daughter Kristy (Chris) Das, and many beloved grandchildren.

His older children will never forget the selflessness with which he undertook the care of his second wife Louise in her later years, the kindness and gentlemanly manner which he treated Ida, nor the equally selfless and loving manner Ida undertook in bringing him home.

In lieu of flowers, Ida and Jack would respectfully ask that memorial contributions-via Allnutt Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins- be made to Pathways Hospice and/or the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Collins.