Richard D. Doran

Richard D. Doran died on July 8, 2023 at his home in Grand Junction, Colorado. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jeri and his son Richard D. Doran, Jr. He is survived by his daughter, Nanci (Porter) Cooley; son, Jeffrey K. (Jodi) Doran; daughter-in- law, Teresa Doran; six grandchildren, John Alderson, Travis Alderson, Nick Alderson, Patrick Doran, Elliot Doran, Jenna Schebor (step); and 4 great-grandchildren.

Richard’s words…

I was born March 28, 1931, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to the late Donald W. and Blanche M. Doran, and was preceded in death by my brother, Wallace A.

Raised in Iowa City, Iowa, I graduated from City High, as an athlete and a member of my class scholastic honor roll and having earned nine letters in varsity sports. I attended the State University of Iowa on a baseball scholarship and graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, and through the ROTC program, received a commission as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

Following my service commitment, I married Jeri Allen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1957. Ours was a long-distance courtship- I met Jeri in 1950 during a University of Iowa baseball trip to Ruston, Louisiana, where she was attending Louisiana Tech College.

I spent my entire career in various sales, marketing, and management positions all of which were in the building products industry. My job responsibilities and advancement opportunities led to moves from Wilmington, Delaware, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Los Angeles, California, and to Phoenix, Arizona, where I retired in 1997 as general manager of one of the state’s largest building materials wholesale companies.

Jeri and I chose Mesa Ridge in Battlement Mesa, Colorado as our retirement location in order to be near our daughter, Nanci, and to enjoy the sports activities of our three grandsons.

I soon became active in the community through my volunteer work with the school district and the local Kiwanis Club. I served as a substitute teacher for more than five years and served a term as Kiwanis President where my accomplishments included starting the Builders Club at St. John Middle School in 1998, and the Key Club at Grand Valley High School in 1999.

During most of my retirement years, I enjoyed writing Letters to the Editor and I was successful in ‘getting published’ often in several Colorado newspapers. My ‘tongue in cheek’ approach on politics often prompted responses, or at least reader interest, in efforts to “sort out” my intentions.

It is my request that no services take place. Donations in my memory may be sent to HopeWest Hospice, 2754 Compass Drive, Grand Junction, CO 81506.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MartinMortuary.com for the Doran family.