Dad was raised in Taber. When he was 17 years old he dropped out of high school and joined the Canadian Air Force. Because he was under age, he had to lie on his application to become an Air Force pilot. After a year of piloting, he decided he didn’t want a lifelong career in the Air Force so he went back to finish high school.
Colin met his future wife and sweetheart, Lorna Nielsen, in high school and they had an off-and-on, long-distance relationship until Lorna graduated from BYU. After Colin got his high school diploma he moved to Calgary where he was a surveyor for the city. Unbeknownst to Lorna, Colin was taking the discussions from missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He got baptized into the Church in July 1955, and Colin and Lorna got married August 27, 1955 . Their marriage was noted across the Canadian news when a reporter found out dad had handcuffed mom to him so that his friends wouldn’t perform a shivaree: the tradition of separating the bride from the groom on their wedding night. By the time the newlyweds got to their honeymoon destination, Colin’s handcuffing had been in the news all over Alberta. They were recognized as the bride and groom that were handcuffed together. Lorna and Colin’s marriage was solemnized in the Cardston Alberta Temple in 1957.
Colin attended BYU in 1956 and much to the surprise of his high school chemistry teacher, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Chemical Engineering in 1961. He worked at Kennecott Copper for four years, then began working as a systems engineer, and later a marketing rep for IBM from 1965 to 1990. During the course of his career with IBM, he lived in Butte, Montana; Germany; and Fresno, California.
Before his career took him to Germany, Colin and Lorna both became American citizens.
After 25 years, he took an early retirement and moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, where he loved to take his motorhome up to Blue Mesa to enjoy solitude and fishing.
When Colin’s health started to decline, he and Lorna moved to Riverton, Utah to be closer to children.
Colin’s high school and college interests were baseball, hockey, water and snow skiing, and golfing. While living in Germany, he shared his love of traveling and exploring new places and cultures with his children. Every school and work break and every summer, he loaded the family into the car to go see a new country. He and mom ingrained a love of travel in their children. Later in his life he loved fishing and camping at his favorite place, Blue Mesa. When he retired he took up painting, first with oil and then with watercolor.
Colin was a faithful and dedicated home teacher that was always in contact with his home teaching families. He was a well-versed gospel doctrine teacher for many years as well as a ward clerk and explorer advisor. He was also in the elders quorum and high priests group leadership.
Dad instilled in his children the value of education and hard work, the love of nature, and the appreciation for travel and adventure. For that we will be eternally grateful.
Colin is survived by his wife of almost 65 years, Lorna; his 5 children; Shannon Wilson (Dean), Lisa Nielsen (Peter), Scott Stubbert, Jennifer Packer (Tyler), Sam “Bubba” Stubbert (Sara); 24 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren; and his sister, Laurie Chomany (Les).
The family thanks Amada Senior Care and their kind caregivers that have helped Lorna take care of Colin the past few years. Also, thank you to Brio Hospice, The Beehive House Care Center for taking care of Colin his last weeks of life.
