Josie May Lister

She went to Heaven May 10, 2014 at the Hope West Hospice Care Center with her daughter Betty Jo and Son-In-Law Tom sitting on each side of her watching a Mother’s Day Hallmark Movie and holding her hand or stroking her arm.

She spent a lot of her childhood in Leadville and nearby mining towns as her father was a gold and silver miner for many years.

The family moved to Moab, UT where Josie attended 6-7 grades. From there they moved to New Castle, CO where she went to 8-12 grades.

In December 1945 she met Warren Lister who had returned home from spending four years in the Navy during World War II.

They were married April 12, 1946and to this union was born their only living child, a daughter Betty Jo was two months old Warren moved his family to Limon, CO and started a construction company where they lived for several years.

They then moved to Ophir, CO where they lived for a year where Warren was in construction and she worked as an Assistant Postmaster.

Then they moved to Grand Junction, CO where Betty Jo went to grade school at Lowell and she worked at Vick’s Pastry on Main Street and then were promoted to the manager of the Vick’s Pastry Outlet Store on North Avenue.

In 1974 Josie and Warren retired and moved to Aurora, CO so they could be close to their daughter, Betty Jo at Bennett, CO. Warren and Josie spent many, many years enjoying going to Betty Jo’s small ranch. They helped build her home and out buildings and enjoyed her great assortment of animals. The family spent as much time as possible together with Betty Jo working in Aurora. They enjoyed these times very much. Betty Jo wasn’t just a daughter, as Josie always said, she was her best friend. Josie accepted Christ as her savior and was baptized in Aurora, CO on January 19, 1977. When Warren became ill in 1996he and Josie moved in with their daughter Betty Jo and Son-In-Law, Tom, at the Bennett ranch. He passed away April 12, 1997 on their wedding anniversary after 52 years of marriage.

It was decided that Josie would continue to live with Betty Jo and Tom but she went to work as a nanny taking care of a very beautiful and sweet 1 ½ year old little girl, Jessie Krause. After sometime Jessie’s mom married a very nice man who had a wonderful little girl, Joslynn who was the same age as Jessie. Josie continued to be a nanny of them both until Betty Jo sold her ranch in Bennett and Josie, Tom and Betty Jo moved back to Grand Junction and bought a house o be nearer to where Warren was buried.

She loved our many vacations to see family and places. She especially enjoyed our many camping trips with friends Jim and Julie Witt and Stephanie and Lloyd Jordan and then with Dasie the past year.

Survivors include her daughter, Betty Jo and Son-In-Law Tom Seib of Grand Junction, CO. 5 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandsons. She is also survived only brother, Frank Phillip Ashcroft and wife Michi from Snowhomish, WA and a sister, Marie Flager of Snowflake, AZ. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews on both sides of the family and many dear friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Warren Lister, twin boys born and died May 9, 1948. Her parents Frank Phillip and Josie May Ashcroft, Warren’s parents, her sisters, Alice Dalton and Evelyn Flager, many Sister-In-Laws and Brother-In-Laws.

In lieu of flowers the family would like donations to Hope West Hospice for all the loving care and support they have given Mom for almost a year at home and the past week at the Care Center. We would also like to thank all of the staff that helped take care of Mom. Thanks!

Arrangements under the direction of Martin Mortuary, Grand Junction, CO.