Lavina L. Redden

Her early childhood years were spent in Haigler, Nebraska. It was there that she attended school and graduated 8th grade. During her preteen years Lavina worked as a caregiver for young children and took in laundry to help with the needs of her brothers and sisters.

When Lavina was age 14 the family left Haigler with an old Dodge car and a school bus, cut off and converted to a makeshift trailer home. They traveled from farm to farm harvesting crops, through Mitchell, Nebraska back into Otis, Colorado. From there with a family inheritance given to her mother they were able to purchase land and animals in Wray, Colorado. Drought and hard times sent them to Roggen, Colorado where the younger children finished their schooling. From there Lavina and her family moved to Keenesburg. She married childhood sweetheart William George Redden. They were wed in St. Francis, Kansas on August 16, 1940. Most of her family stayed in the Keenesburg area and farmed for the Cookseys of Prospect valley.

Lavina and Bill bought a one room school house from the country and moved it to the west side of the park in Keenesburg where they set up housekeeping and raised their own family of five children. Farming and Bill's job as a mechanic at the John Deere dealership were no match for the money and opportunity promised at the CF & steel mill in Pueblo, Colorado. So they packed up and left for Pueblo in 1952 with their youngest son having just been born. In a short time they saved up money and moved from the apartment to land in the country where together with their young family built a small house and then added onto it over the years. It was a great location and all the kids enjoyed the opportunity to grow up in the country and excelled in the rural schools.

Lavina and Bill enjoyed their children and taught them about gardening and skills they had learned on the farm. Lavina starting working for the Colorado State Hospital in 1960 and went on to get her GED in 1962 from Pueblo College. In 1968 she earned a license and certification as a Psychiatric Technician for the State Hospital. One by one the children moved to Denver for better job opportunities, and in 1972

Lavina and Bill moved there also. They bought a place on 4th and Federal Blvd where Bill could have a welding shop and they could have a residence also. Lavina finished her career for the State while working an additional 7 years at Ridge State Home. Over the years after retiring they both enjoyed travel and spending time with children and their many grandchildren.

Lavina was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, William, sons, Bill and Don and three of her brothers and one sister. Her later years were spent with her dear friend and companion Bob Schweitzberger. The two of them also spent time enjoying camping, dancing, and, of course, children and grandchildren. Lavina will be remembered for many things, especially her love of music. She could sing, whistle and play the guitar, piano and harmonica. Some of her many favorites were "Little Joe the Wrangler", and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". She taught her children and grandchildren and anyone who was willing to learn, how to cook, preserve food and sew. She was an avid gardener and in later years grew beautiful houseplants. She loved life and people and will be missed by everyone who knew her.