Mildred A. Roper

Mildred Roper loved the Lord with all her heart. On January 6, 2015 she went to meet her Savior and to be with many loved ones and friends.

Mildred Trabue was born on March 28, 1920 in Hutchison, KS and spent much of her early life there with her parents Orville and Elsie Trabue and six siblings.

In 1936 their family floral business was destroyed in a major flood. Her dad was able to find work in Grand Junction, CO where she attended Fruita High School, Fruitvale High School and graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1938.

She married Carl Hodge in September 17, 1938. They had two children, Wayne and Patricia.

After Pearl Harbor they moved to Denver where Carl trained and worked for Remington Arms until he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was an arms specialist.

In 1946 they bought a small unfinished house in Fruitvale where many who were also veterans lived in tents as they built homes.

Carl worked at Enstrom Ice Cream Co and later became a Rural Mail Carrier. Mildred had a small daycare in their home and still is beloved by some of the children. She was also very active in the community in politics and children’s activities. She and Carl held state and national leadership positions in the Rural Mail Carriers Assn. They attended Clifton Christian Church and later joined Northeast Christian Church where she was a member until she was welcomed into Heaven.

In 1990 Carl went to be with the Lord. In 1993 she married Alden Roper and was married to him until he met the Lord.

Mildred leaves behind her daughter; Patty Austin of Windsor, CO, with whom she lived for the last three years, two step children; Sharon Roper and her husband Dave Dashner and Larry (Betty) Roper, two sisters; Wilma Cravens of Missouri and Ruth Wood of Kansas, four grandchildren; Brian Austin, Mark (Kimberly) Austin, Stacey (Kevin) Swank, Laura Hodge, and two step- grandchildren; Randal Pell and Lisa Gilstrap. She has many great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, and a foster daughter Melanie Brown, many beloved nieces and nephews and friends that were family to her.

In Windsor she had become loved and loved by those in the First Christian Church of Windsor, CO.

Burial will take place in the Orchard Mesa Cemetery, Grand Junction, CO with her husband Carl.

A celebration of Life service will be held 1:30 PM, Wednesday, April 8, 2015 at the Northeast Christian Church, Grand Junction, Colorado. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Northeast Christian Church, 2751 Patterson Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506 or Ozark Christian College, 1111 North Main Street, Joplin, MO 64801

She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands and a son; Wayne Roper on April 3, 2014. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Martin Mortuary.