Billie Jo Hiatt

Billie Jo Hiatt, loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother was called home on May 22, 2019 just shy of her 84th birthday. She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Stanton, her son, Mitchell Hiatt and grandson, Michael Hiatt. She is survived by sons Michael Hiatt of Wyoming, and Mark Hiatt of Beulah, and extended family members, Diana and Philip Quattlebaum of Florence, Colorado. BJ is also survived by her grandchildren Jamaica, Josh, Joe, Christy, and Matthew and five great-grandchildren.

Billie Jo, or BJ as she was affectionately called by friends, was born in Yampa, Colorado on May 31, 1935, to Joe and Pauline Dunn. She and her brother, Sonny, grew up on the family ranch in the Yampa Valley where Billie Jo loved being a cowgirl and riding her horse. BJ’s family moved to Peyton, Colorado in her teen years where BJ graduated from Peyton High School and later met, then married, Stanton on May 23, 1956. They moved to the beautiful Beulah Valley where they made their home and raised their family.

BJ instantly became an integral part of the Beulah community where she spent many years in volunteer service. BJ worked with the Beulah Parent Teacher Organization while her three sons attended the school. BJ served on the Yule Log committee, the Community Center board, and was founder of the Beulah Petals Garden Club. She served many years as a dispatcher for the Beulah Volunteer Fire Department and was once president of the Beulah Volunteer Ambulance service. BJ was a caring and committed EMT who fought hard to establish and support the ambulance service for her community. For many years, BJ organized the Bonfils Blood Center community blood drive and she spent many years working on numerous fundraisers for the Volunteer Fire Department and for the Ambulance service.

BJ’s EMT experience transitioned into a career with the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Department in 1987, first in the medical department and later as a detention officer. BJ’s sense of humor was one of her greatest assets. She was funny and she loved to joke, but that didn’t prevent her from diligently performing her detention duties. She always had a good word for everybody, which helped keep up morale and endeared her to coworkers. She never judged people, and this gained her respect from officers and inmates, alike. BJ took a great deal of pride in her career and loved sharing stories about the friendships she developed on the force. BJ retired from the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Department in 2002 but she never forgot her brothers and sisters in blue.

BJ was very strong in her faith and was a member of the Grandview Baptist Church. She enjoyed attending church retreats with her friends at Horn Creek and Women of Faith events. BJ loved to talk with people, she was everybody’s friend and she lived life to the fullest. BJ embraced every new opportunity and saw it as life’s next adventure. She loved her community and her neighbors. BJ served many roles throughout her life: Wife, Mother, Friend, Volunteer, Officer. All were important to BJ, but one role she will be especially remembered for is that of “Granny” to her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

BJ had a passion for the outdoors, anything southwest, and bright colors. Her personality was as bold as the colors she loved, and her warmth and kindness brought sunshine into the lives of her family and her many friends. A service to celebrate BJ’s life will be held at 11:00 am on June 22nd at Imperial Chapel in Pueblo. We invite friends and family to join us in wearing bright colors, especially BJ’s favorite--hot pink and turquoise, as we gather to remember and celebrate BJ’s life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sangre De Cristo Hospice of Pueblo and Fremont Counties.