Ellen Beatrice Currier

Ellen Beatrice Currier entered into eternal rest passing away in her home on March 11, 2026. She was born on September 18, 1954, in Grand Junction, Colorado, the fourth child and second daughter of Bruce Carpenter and Wilma Marian Harman Currier. Ellen attended Fruitvale and Pomona Elementary, Grand Junction Junior High and Grand Junction High School, graduating in 1972. Growing up in a family of Ranchers and Musicians generations long, Ellen’ s life revolved around music and the family’s cattle ranch. She learned to ride a horse at a very young age and was an integral part of running the ranch. She loved her parents and siblings, learning from her older sister Arlene, watching her oldest brother Walt tinker with machinery and playing (and fighting) with her closest in age brother, Glen. She took piano lessons starting in third grade and played violin throughout her school years. Ellen attended Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas, where she began as an English major until a very wise professor encouraged her to change her major to Music Education and music became her focus through her graduation from OU in 1976 and for the rest of her life. During her college years she performed in the Ottawa Orchestra, worked at the university switchboard, taught violin lessons and toured the US with the Ottawa University Choir.

Ellen secured a teaching job on her first interview, teaching elementary strings in Hays, Kansas for her first three years of teaching. The mountains and the ranch called her back home in 1979, and she began teaching strings in the Mesa County Valley School District where she taught until her retirement. After earning a master’s degree in computer science, she also taught computers to middle schoolers in addition to orchestra. She taught in many of the elementary, middle and high schools in the district, mainly in the Fruita, Loma and Redlands areas, putting a lot of miles on her vehicles. She finished her teaching career at Fruita Middle, Fruita 8-9, and Fruita Monument High School, all at the same time, with students under her baton from 6th grade through their senior year.

When not teaching Ellen was busy on the ranch. An accomplished rider, out maneuvering wayward calves or steers with the best of the cowboys, she was involved with all jobs on the ranch. Long hours of cattle drives, branding, maintaining fences, feeding, haying, harvesting, and driving water and cattle trucks. After these long days she would be back in her classroom bright and early the next school day. Ellen played violin in the Mesa College Civic Symphony while still in high school and after returning to the Grand Valley, she played with them again, although now named the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra. Ellen was principal of the second violin section for many years and played in the first violin section often with her cousin and stand partner, Alane Currier-Griggs until God called her to His heavenly orchestra. Several of her former students played with her in the symphony throughout the years as she inspired and encouraged her students to continue their music studies beyond high school. She was a founding member of the Elvimici String Quartet and a member of the Kokopelli Handbell Choir traveling with them on tour to Europe in 2002.

Ellen attended First Baptist Church of Grand Junction since birth and was baptized there in the 1960’s. An active member of the church, she served on several boards and committees over the years and was always a member of the choir, eventually becoming choir director and handbell choir director as well. For the past several years she has been moderator of the church, now named Church at Seventh and Grand. She played violin often for worship services either in ensembles or as a soloist. She sang alto in the choir until a shortage of tenors led her to sing tenor, often while also directing the choir. Ellen was a second mom to two generations of nieces and nephews, often caring for them at her house, the mountain cabin and on camping trips. In later years she enjoyed “glamping” with family and friends, Jeep trips and lots of traveling.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Arlene Currier, her brother, Walter Currier and niece, Crystal Currier. She is survived by her best friend, colleague, travel-mate and caregiver, Michelle Park, her brother, Glen Currier (Adelaide), sister-in-law Phyllis Currier, all of Grand Junction; nieces Melinda Currier Shackelford (James), of Grand Junction, Meredith LaPoint (Patrick), of Plattsburgh, New York, Addie Currier (Christopher) of Grand Junction; and nephews Matthew Currier (Brandi) of Cypress, Texas, and Philip Currier (Sasha) of Grand Junction. She is also survived by grandnieces, Shannon and Elizabeth Currier of Cypress and Jocelyn Currier and Cadence Williams of Grand Junction and grandnephews Joshua, James and Cameron Currier of Cypress and Caleb Haberberger and Stephan Currier of Grand Junction.

A celebration of life will be held at the Church at Seventh and Grand, 720 Grand Avenue in Grand Junction at 1:00 PM on Saturday March 21, 2026. Memorial donations may be made to the Church at Seventh and Grand.