Anita T Pisciotte

Anita was born Dec. 12, 1939, in Pueblo, Colo., to Joseph Stenton and Valeda Pauline Tureck, née Corley. She grew up in both Pueblo and Cañon City, where she helped her family run a hotel. She graduated from Centennial High School in Pueblo in 1957.

She was awarded numerous awards throughout her academic career, including the prestigious Boettcher scholarship, a fellowship to the University of Hawaii and an assistantship to the University of Colorado-Boulder for graduate study. The Boettcher scholarship afforded her a full scholarship to anywhere in Colorado, and she chose the University of Denver, where she received a bachelor’s in sociology, magna cum laude. She received a master’s from Hawaii, and a PhD from Colorado, both in sociology.

Anita married Joseph Pisciotte, also from Pueblo, in 1961. They had two children, Michael and Dena. They divorced in 1980. She raised her kids as a single parent and did an amazing job while balancing a challenging career and parenting.

Anita spent her life in service of those who did not have a voice, in mental health services and for those with disabilities. She was the executive director at Mesa Developmental Services, now known as Strive, for 28 years, an agency that serves those with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Mesa County. She grew the agency from a fledgling one-horse dingy trailer on Glenwood Ave. to a full-service organization that offered an array of services to a wider population.

She was active in the community as a volunteer and had dedicated many years as a board member or cabinet member to a number of organizations, including 28 years to the Art Center of Western Colorado, as well as the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women, and the Mesa County Democratic Party, among others.

Anita had a huge circle of friends, and you could not go anywhere in town with her without running into someone she knew. This group of friends was truly special and they took care of one another as a family would. Right up until her sudden illness, she was going to lunch with her friends and fulfilling her many social engagements.

Anita loved to travel, and after her kids were grown, traveled all over the US and the world. She also loved the mountains, her home as a third-generation Colorado native. In her last ten years, she and her beloved companion, Don Davis, traveled extensively and took a number of cruises all across the planet, including a once-in-a-lifetime, six-month, round-the-world cruise together.

Most of all, she loved her family and friends. She was a loving and generous person whose presence will be deeply missed.

Anita is survived by her beloved companion, Don G. Davis; her children, Michael Pisciotte (Victoria), Wichita, Kan., and her daughter, Dena Pisciotte (Sean Ton), Denver, Colo.; grandchildren, Kierstin Stribling (Ian), Phenix, Ala., Joseph Pisciotte, Wichita, Kan., Holden Ton, Denver, Colo., and Fiona Ton, Black Hawk, S.D.; great-grandchildren, Violet Stribling, Phenix, Ala., and A.J. Stribling, Phenix, Ala.; brother-in-law, Stanley Shafer, Pueblo, Colo.; nieces, Lisa Shafer, Marshalltown, IA., Su Shafer, Poulsbo, Wash., and Torri Shafer, Pueblo, Colo.; and nephew, Brett (Madonna) Shafer, Centennial, Colo. She is also survived by the most wonderful group of friends and neighbors anyone could ask for.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Gaylene Shafer, her grandson, Dylan Vercuse, and her great-grandaughter, Gretchen Stribling.

A celebration of life will take place Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, at 2:30 p.m., at Meadowlark Gardens, in Grand Junction, 2259 Broadway. Music will be provided by Javier de los Santos, a local musician who meant a lot to Anita, who loved to sit and listen to music at local concerts with her friends. Everyone is welcome.

We will be live streaming via Google Meet at https://meet.google.com/nvk-dbeg-jam. We will update with a link of the recorded ceremony for those who missed it.