Lois Ann (Heffner) Carr, 88, a resident of Colorado Springs for 69 years, passed away on April 29th, 2021. She was born in her Grandmother’s home in Maywood, Nebraska, on September 16th 1932, to Earl Heffner and Erma (Burton) Heffner.
In 1938, Lois started 1st grade at Echo School. It was a one-room country school, in Lincoln County, Nebraska, with two outhouses, and a barn for horses. She would ride a horse to school on cold snowy days. There was a windmill for water and only one teacher. She was the youngest child in school that year, and the only one in the first grade. There were 15 students total. She attended an Echo School reunion in 1996 and could still recall every student’s name. In 1942, her family moved to North Platte, Nebraska and she graduated from North Platte High School in 1950. After high school, she moved to Denver and graduated from the Denver Central Business College and later, Pikes Peak Community College.
Lois married the love of her life, Benjamin E. Carr, on April 26, 1952 in Englewood, Colorado. They moved to Colorado Springs (population, 45,000) as Ben was in the Army stationed at Camp Carson (now Fort Carson). They enjoyed 60 years of marriage together until Ben’s death in 2012.
Lois spent her entire career in different capacities as an employee of the U.S. Air Force in Colorado Springs. She worked at Fort Carson, Ent Air Force Base, the Chidlaw Building and Peterson Air Force Base for 28 years. She worked as a receptionist in the Base Commander Office and she hired and trained new employees in Civilian Personnel. She finished her profession traveling to Air Forces Bases throughout the country as a Housing Project Manager and Realty Officer. She served as President of the American Business Women’s Association, President of the Colorado Wire Collectors Association and was a founding member and supporter of the Devil’s Rope Museum in McLean, Texas. Appreciating local history, Lois enjoyed volunteering at the Old Colorado City History Center in Colorado Springs.
Lois was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Benjamin E. Carr; a son, Steven Carr and a brother, Glenn Heffner.
She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Susan (Michael) Oldham of Alanreed, TX; daughter-in-law, Dana (West) Carr; three grandchildren, Joshua (Janna) Roach and Jacy (Eric) Earhart of Colorado Springs and Valerie (Bill) Topkis of Centennial, CO; eight great grandchildren, two great great grandchildren, a brother-in-law, James R. Carr of Del Ray Beach, FL; and several nieces and nephews, and cousins.
Lois loved to tell stories of growing up in Nebraska on a farm. She lived a life that can only be read now in history books. The family farm was probably typical of the times. It had pastures and crop land, with cattle, milk cows, horses, pigs and chickens. They had no electricity, central heating system and no running water. A windmill pumped water into a large cistern from which they could draw water via a little red hand-pump in the kitchen, and of course they had a “two holer” outhouse. Kerosene lamps were used for lighting and a big iron stove heated the house. Baths were taken once a week in a tin tub, with water that had been heated up on the stove. The family slept on feather beds and on cold nights, heated bricks or slate foot warmers and put them in the bed at their feet. They milked cows twice a day, 365 days a year and separated the cream from the milk. Part of the cream was churned into butter, and the rest was taken to town, along with dozens of eggs to be sold. Her father raised crops of wheat, corn and oats and harvesting was done by hand. They endured through blizzards, prairie fires, tornados, droughts, hail storms and the dust bowl.
Lois will always be remembered as a smart, strong, organized woman with beautiful penmanship. She accepted every problem as a challenge, never worried and wasn’t afraid to take risks. She lived life to the fullest and had fun collecting silverware, angels, cruets and was most proud of her amazing 1,177 piece collection of little decorative glass slippers, boots and shoes.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Old Colorado City Historical Society, 1 South Street, Colo. Spgs, CO 80904, The Devil’s Rope Museum, Box A, Alanreed, TX 79002, or an organization/ charity of your choice.
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