Mary c Gretton

Mary (aka Marie) Caroline Gretton was born June 30, 1930 at home, 8 miles south of Westcliffe, CO to Carl & Ella (nee Kindt) Kelling. She was so small, they wrapped her in a small blanket, put her in a shoebox and then into the wood stove to keep warm. Because of her tenuous condition, they baptized her through Hope Lutheran Church in Westcliffe, the following day, July 1, 1930. She survived and went on to attend Colfax School, 1st-5th grades, Hope Lutheran Parochial School, 6th-8th grades, and Custer County High School, 9th-12th grades, graduating as the class valedictorian. Mary went on to nursing school in St. Louis, Missouri, graduating with an RN degree in 1951. She then moved to California to work at the City of Hope Hospital in Monrovia. Mary had two nurse roommates, and the three of them hung around together, even in their free time. The man she was to marry, "Jerry"(Jerome) Gretton, was their mailman, and he used to take all three of them out, although, many times he would try to find dates for the other two women. Theirs was a whirlwind romance, with them getting married November 24, 1952, at Hope Lutheran Church in Westcliffe, CO, within a year of their meeting each other.

Four years later, in August of 1956, their daughter Kimberly was born to them. Because of the smog already in California, they decided to move back to Colorado. Jerry got a transfer to the Pueblo post office, though their desired location was Colorado Springs. (They later thanked God repeatedly that He'd chosen Pueblo for them!) In May of 1960, a son, Keith, was born to them. He had many health problems, including a brain tumor that left him blind, but with Mary's excellent guidance and teaching, he was able to lead an amazing independent life. Mary worked at Woodcroft Hospital, St. Mary-Corwin & the Colorado State Hospital in the course of her life. A few years after Jerry retired from the post office, she, too, retired from the CSH. They went on to join Laborers for Christ, traveling the country literally building churches and schools as volunteers. In many places they went, they stayed for over a year before the project was finished. When they finally got home "for good", they realized, of all the places they'd been, they liked Pueblo the best.

Mary traveled to Africa with a nurse's group, and again, a few years later, with Africa Inland Mission---taking along her 11 year-old home-schooled granddaughter. (Jerry didn't want to fly that far). Mary was always concerned about spreading the gospel of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and was on the missions board at Bethany Lutheran Church. She'd been active at Faith Lutheran Church until it's demise in the late 1970's, then became a faithful member of Bethany Lutheran until her death. Mary was a wonderful and involved mother, taking her daughter to accordion, and later, piano lessons, Girl Scouts, which she led for a while, and 4-H meetings. She taught both her daughter and her blind son to cook, bake and sew. She attended every production of any sort that her daughter was in, and also managed to attend a number of productions her son Keith was in at the Colorado School for the Deaf & Blind in Colorado Springs, even though she was working full-time graveyard shifts.

When Kimberly went to college in 1974, Mary went back, also, to receive a Bachelor's degree in Nursing. They attended a number of classes together.

In the late 1970's to early 1980's, Mary & Jerry had Hope, Inc. at their home. They provided a safe, Christian environment for ex-drug addicts and ex-alcoholics. Through labor and love, many were returned to a healthy lifestyle. In December 1981, Mary & Jerry were blessed with a granddaughter, Jessica Whitney. While they were traveling with LFC at the time, Kimberly would videotape Jessica's Christmas programs, dance recitals and "everyday" events to send to them on VHS tape so they wouldn't miss out. Later, in April 1986, they were graced with a grandson, Caleb Whitney. He came through an emergency C-section and was a "blue baby" with numerous health problems. At the same time, their son, Keith, was dying from an extremely aggressive brain tumor. Keith lived for almost two weeks after Caleb was born, then died April 17, 1986.

After several years of difficult health problems, on March 10, 2002, Jerry passed away. Mom became active as a "shepherding home" for young, pregnant girls through A Caring Pregnancy Center (ACPC), at which she was a volunteer. One of the girls lived with her well after her baby was born and, eventually, abandoned the baby. Mom fostered her until a suitable adoptive home could be found for her---almost 6 years later! She continued to be a volunteer at ACPC until about 5 years ago. Mary planned for aging gracefully and moved into the Pueblo Regent, were she was loved by all. She was an "ambassador" and helped new residents get oriented and comfortable. After almost 5 years at the Pueblo Regent, she had to go into skilled nursing at the Life Care Center of Pueblo, due to multiple falls. She was hoping to move back to the Regent, but God had other plans for her. Also, she was the first president of the renewed LWML (Lutheran Womens' Missionary League) at Bethany, which is now inactive and belonged to the missions committee at Bethany in the past. Mary was a FARM GIRL & could make ANYTHING grow! She could almost plant toothpicks & have them grow into something! (WHAT, I'm not sure!) She had a garden everywhere she lived---even at The Pueblo Regent, where she had potted plants (tomatoes!) on her balcony porch. (They were blooming a week or so ago!) One summer, she and her daughter canned 100 pints of tomatoes from her HUGE garden! We had to call upon multiple friends at The Regent to take care of her plants while she was at the Life Care Center and, finally, had to ask them to take them all home. She was instrumental in starting a community garden at her church. Within a year of her being unable to tend it anymore, however, it no longer existed. She ended her days at the Life Care Center on September 13, 2019 and went to be in the arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ. She will be missed dearly by all who met her, but her family and Christian friends know they will see her again in heaven.

Mary is preceded in death by her husband "Jerry" Jerome Anthony Gretton; Parents Carl & Ella Kelling; Son Keith Gretton; and Sister Lorene Nigh.

She is survived by daughter, Kimberly (Randy) Whitney; Granddaughter, Jessica (Doug) Campbell; Grandson Caleb Whitney; Great grandchildren John, Daniel & Dinah Campbell; Brother, Floyd (Betty) Kelling; Three nieces and three nephews and numerous friends and her "family" at Bethany Lutheran Church.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Biblical Orthodox Lutheran Mission (BOLM, P.O. Box 631402, Littleton, CO, 8063), A Caring Pregnancy Center (ACPC, 500 Colorado Ave., Pueblo, CO, 81004) or Ray of Hope---Cambodia (Global Lutheran Outreach, 6709 Ficus Dr., Miramar, FL 33023; designate to STOLTENOW).

Thank you for your prayers and love. Kimberly