Ernest Gottlieb Werren

The youngest of five children born to Swiss immigrants, Gottlieb and Marie Werren, he was proud of his heritage. After completing high school in Mt. Horeb, WI., he joined the U.S. Navy and served as an Electronic Technician on the Battleship USS Wisconsin from 1946-1948. In 1951, he graduated with honors with a Degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Wisconsin and was a varsity boxer on the 1950 university team. He worked as an Engineer and Development Geologist for Shell Oil Company for 30 years, then as an Exploration Operations Manager for British Petroleum (BP) for nine years. He was also a Civil Engineering officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve for several years. Ernie’s oil field career was primarily in Louisiana with Shell Oil and in the Rocky Mountains and Texas with BP.

Laverne, his beloved wife of 36 ½ years and mother of his five children, predeceased him in 1989. After her untimely death, he became involved with the Colorado Trail Foundation (CTF), leading trail building crews and treks, and serving on the CTF Board of Directors for many years.

In 1996, he married Barbara Bueler Wegner and moved to Silverthorne, CO. They were avid skiers and hosted ski trips for the Over the Hill Gang International to many ski areas in the USA and Canada. Barbara and Ernie enjoyed traveling and visited all seven continents and many countries of the world. They moved to Lakewood in 2010 and became members of the Jefferson Unitarian Church in 2014.

Ernie left a legacy of love of family, travel, skiing, hiking, and nature, and was loved by his family.

Ernie was preceded in death by his wife Laverne Grosze Werren, parents Gottlieb and Marie, his sister Hedwig, and three brothers Fritz, John, and William. He is survived by his wife Barbara Werren, son Walton (Christine) Werren, and daughters Gail (Russell) Werren, Jane (Jim) Perkins, Shelley (Dale) Kaup, and Sandra Werren; and three stepchildren Betsy (Bob) Rocks, Nancy (Dean) Rocks and David Rocks. Eight grandchildren include April Ray, Sarah (Corey) Williams, Brian (Byron) Ray, Max (Jess) Johnson, Jacob Kaup, Sam (Mia) Kaup, Nathaniel Kaup, and Sophia Werren; along with seven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

He will be dearly missed.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift in his memory to the Colorado Trail Foundation or one of your favorite charities.