Anita Jeri "Jeri" Wooley

Jeri was born April 1, 1932 in Douglass, Kansas to Arthur Jerry Marsh and Esther Clare Sheely Marsh, the youngest of four children. Her brothers, also deceased, are Frank O. Marsh, Alfred E. Marsh, and Ronald E. Marsh.

When she was around three years old her family moved to El Dorado, Kansas. Her mother, who was at that time a single parent with four children and did not have much money, provided an abundant, warm and loving home. As a deeply devout Christian her mother took them to church every Sunday where they were given a strong moral foundation. Coming of age during the depression and World War II was a challenging time for the family and they relied on the financial support of her brothers. All of the Marsh children learned the value of hard work and thrift. The family was never without wonderful events, memories and adventures. Jeri gained dear friends from childhood that remained very close to her for the rest of her life.

After graduating from Eldorado High School in 1950 and taking courses at Butler County Junior College she moved to Dayton, Ohio to be near an aunt and to find work. After securing a job at National Cash Register, she met her future husband through her landlord. After a few months Robert L. Wooley passed her a note proposing “let’s get hitched”. They were married in 1951 at Beavertown Evangelical United Brethren Church, Dayton, Ohio. Robert was in the Air National Guard and then the Air Force and they were transferred to Colorado, to Florida and back to Colorado by 1955. Jeri and Bob were stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado when their first child was born. Marsha Lee Wooley was delivered on November 20, 1956 at Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora. Their second child, Ronald Eugene Wooley was born on July 1, 1959 at Fitzsimons Army Hospital as well.

The family lived in many parts of the world during Robert’s military career. They moved to mainland Japan in 1960 and then onto Okinawa in 1964. Living off base in southern Japan and later at Grand Heights Air Force Base north of Tokyo gave the family the opportunity to experience the Japanese culture. During their service in Okinawa many a weekend was spent traveling the entire Island to explore the history of the areas. The next military assignment was in Tucson, Arizona until 1966 when they then moved to El Dorado, Kansas without Bob for nine months while he served his country in Thailand during the Vietnam War.

Jeri was a strong and independent woman who managed the house hold not only when Bob was in Thailand but also while on TDY for the Air Force. Immediately after Kansas they then moved back to Okinawa, Japan for about nine months. The family really enjoyed their next move to Hickam Air Force base in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1967. After three years in Honolulu, a bigger transition came when they were transferred to McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kansas in 1969. Best of all, they were close to Jeri’s family in El Dorado, Kansas.

It was in July of 1970, that the Wooley family retired from life in the Air Force and moved back to one of their favorite places, Colorado. Bob, Jeri and children settled in Morris Heights in Aurora, Colorado where Jeri lived until she passed away. From 1970 to the 2012, Jeri was a wonderful mother who not only worked at home but found satisfaction working outside the home. After many years as a military wife and mother, Jero took a job at Chase Altura Drug store in Aurora. While she was an employee at the drug store she took classes to become a certified Pharmacy Technician. During the years at Chase Altura she even experienced a pharmacy robbery where the assailant held a gun to her head.

After leaving Chase Altura she became an administrative assistant at Excel Associates, a graphics support company for Lowry Air Force Base. There she found a strong camaraderie among former military personnel and many of these co-workers remained good friends for the rest of her life. Jeri and Bob were overjoyed in 1981, when their daughter, Marsha and son-in-law, Roger, presented them with their first grandchild, Marisa Leigh Boraas. Marisa is one of the great joys in her life. In 1991 Marsha and Roger had another daughter while living in California, Liana Clare Boraas. Jeri was very proud of her two granddaughters and loved them dearly.

Lowry Air Force Base was formally closed in September of 1994. Shortly after her employment ended at Excel, she was asked by a former pharmacist at Chase Altura to join him at Kaiser, and work with him in the pharmacy located in Aurora at Quincy and Buckley Road. Jeri was given numerous awards for outstanding customer support while serving in the pharmacy. It was here that she retired as a result of a diagnosis of COPD.

In February of 2000, the love of her life, Robert Wooley, passed away from lung cancer. During the last years of her life she was loving supported by her son Ronald at her home in Aurora where she then passed on to be with Bob on September 20, 2012. Jeri was a loving, loyal, generous and supportive wife, parent and grandparent. She will be remembered for her quick wit, strong opinions, common sense and amazing memory.

Anita Jerralene Wooley is survived by daughter, Marsha L. Wooley and Son-in-Law, Peter G. Wilson of Parker, Colorado and son, Ronald E. Wooley of Aurora, Colorado, 2 granddaughters, Marisa L. Boraas, Grand Junction, Colorado and Liana C. Boraas in Claremont, California.