Scott Clugston

Long-time Greeley resident and retired Weld County judge, Scott Clugston, passed away after a full life and lengthy battle with COPD on September 29, 2017. He transitioned peacefully in TRU Hospice, on his terms, blanketed by the love of his family.

He was born in Denver, Colorado on June 1, 1932, to Addie (McKenney) Clugston and Chester R. Clugston. He grew up in Denver, Colorado Springs, and Salt Lake City, Utah, before making Greeley his permanent home in 1963. He is survived by the family to which he was unconditionally devoted, wife Karen of Greeley; daughters Becky Clugston of Windsor, Andrea Pomarico of Castle Rock, Katia Patterson of Orlando, Florida; grandchildren Sydney and Mia Patterson of Orlando, and Grant Patterson of Gainesville, Florida; nephew Dr. Robert Kron of Greeley, and many nieces and nephews, all of whom he was especially fond.

Graduating high school at age16, he then received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Utah in 1953, where he was president of his Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Scott earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver in 1958, and was admitted to the Colorado Bar the same year. He was also a respected member of the Colorado Association of County Judges, for which he served as president in 1978-1979. Scott also served in the United States Navy between 1953-1955 aboard the USS Turner during the Korean War.

Following law school, Scott worked as claim adjustor, examiner, and district manager for Allstate Insurance Company in Denver. Upon transfer to Salt Lake City, Utah, he became regional claims manager for a two-state area.

He married Karen Katherine Gilbert on June 12, 1960. In June 2017, they celebrated 57 years of marriage and commitment, in the dream house they built together, in their beloved community.

In July 1963, Scott relocated the family from Salt Lake City and opened his private law practice in Greeley. His career as a practicing attorney spanned 10 years. During that time, he served as Deputy District Attorney for the 8th Judicial District in Greeley from 1963-1964, and the Assistant Attorney for the City of Greeley from 1965-1972. At the time of his appointment to the Weld County Court judicial bench in 1973, he was the youngest judge to be appointed in the state of Colorado. He served as a County Court judge for 23 years until 1997.

In 1976, Scott responded to the need to hire the first, full-time Spanish language translator and bailiff, Jacob Diaz. Scott learned sufficient Spanish to address the non-English speaking constituents in his courtroom in order to reassure them of fair legal proceedings on his watch. It was this form of empathy and commitment to justice that became of the hallmarks of his character and career.

Frustrated by the number of cases that could not be properly prosecuted in the courtroom due to the misapplication of law, and convinced that the problem was statewide, he painstakingly compiled and authored two editions of Clugston’s Compendium on Colorado Traffic Law in 1990 and 1996.

Post retirement, he further served county and districts courts in Colorado as a senior judge until 2000.

Scott was an active, 53-year member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greeley. He was also a co-founder of the Weld County Association for Learning Disabilities and the Greeley Alliance for the Mentally Ill. He enjoyed acting in the productions of several community theaters and especially relished the role of F.D.R. in Greeley Stampede Troupe’s “Annie”.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 23, 2017, at the First Congregational Church, 2101 16th Street, Greeley, CO. A Reception and lunch will follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in his honor to the Colorado National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Stampede Troupe, or the Greeley Area Habitat for Humanity in care of Allnutt Funeral Service, 702 13th St., Greeley, CO 80631. Please visit www.allnutt.com to send condolences to the family.