Irma Johne Morton, 91, of Aurora, Colorado, passed away on March 14, 2026. Born June 11, 1934, in Denver, Colorado, Irma will be remembered as gentle, compassionate, loving, and inspirational to all who were blessed to know her.
Irma was raised in the Globeville neighborhood of Denver. She was the daughter of Alex and Alameda Rau. Irma grew up alongside one older brother, Bobby and later a younger brother, Donny when her father remarried to Martha Rau, who played a large part in raising Irma. In her early teens, Irma lost her vision—an immense life change she met with quiet strength and determination. She attended the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind in Colorado Springs and graduated in 1955.
In 1958, Irma began a long and meaningful working life as a blind vendor with the Colorado Business Enterprise Program. Over the course of 56 years, she operated multiple food service, cafeteria, and vending locations, serving countless people with steady dedication. She continued working until 2015, retiring at the age of 80.
Irma met her first husband, Donald Nelson, while attending the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind. They married in Lakewood in the early 1960s. Their son, Gary, was born in 1964, and Irma’s devotion to him was unwavering—she never put her work before her son. In 1992, Irma married Roy Morton, and they remained married until his passing in 2019. During those years, they moved around a lot, building a life together through each new chapter. After Roy’s death, Irma lived with her son Gary Nelson and his wife Karen for about five years. The last two years of her life were spent at Garden Plaza of Aurora.
Irma found joy in simple pleasures and shared experiences. She loved to travel and to go out to eat. She also loved to craft; in her younger years, she made footstools out of coffee cans and foam—practical creations shaped by creativity and care. She enjoyed black coffee and sweets, and she especially loved spending time with her grandkids, (Joy, Paul, and Daniel) treasuring the moments that made family life rich and full.
Visitation and funeral service will be held in the chapel of Olinger Eastlawn Mausoleum, 19600 East Smith Road, Aurora, CO 80011, on March 26, 2026, beginning at 10:00am.
Irma will be laid to rest with her husband Roy at Olinger Eastlawn Cemetery.
