Mildred M. Sarchet, 100, died at home at Beatrice Hover Assisted Living residence on July 28, 2013 of natural causes. In her 90’s, Mildred learned how to send email and she chose ‘kismet’ as her email address. Kismet, or fate, smiled on Mildred, granting some dreams outright, and replacing some denied dreams with other pleasures.
Mildred M. Hockley was born on August 20, 1912 to William R. and Nannie (Yates) Hockley in Eaton, CO. Her family was pioneer stock. Her early school years were spent in Greeley. When she graduated from Platteville High School in 1931 as the valedictorian of her class, she dreamt of two things – traveling and going to college. Even though she had a scholarship, Mildred was unable to attend college because her family didn’t have the money for books and other expenses. She always said she was “a city girl”, but she met Ray Sarchet, a farmer, and a great love match was born. Mildred and Ray courted, married, and started farming in the Hudson area, having Nancy, Bob, Jim, and Carol while living there. Eventually they bought their own farm near Platteville and added one more child, Linda, to the brood.
As the children grew up, they scattered across the world and Mildred’s dreams of travel began to come true. She went to Japan, Russia, Brazil, Peru, Europe, Ireland, Nova Scotia and other countries – as well as traveling the length and breadth of the US, sometimes visiting family and sometimes on organized study or travel tours. The family grew to include 14 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren, so there was plenty of family to visit!
Mildred made sure all of her children graduated from college and she was always an advocate for education. She served on the St. Vrain and District RE-1 school boards for many years, attending state and national conventions. She loved working with young people and was a 4-H leader for more than 30 years. She was a food judge at the local and state levels, a fact that could have been intimidating to future daughters-in-law, but was a challenge they successfully met.
Mildred’s first car was a bright red Valiant which caught everyone’s attention! “There goes Mildred!”, they would say. The car brought her independence and an opportunity to increase her involvement in the community. Mildred served as the secretary of the Lupton Meadows and Coal Ridge Ditch Companies, sold World Book encyclopedias, and served as a census taker in rural areas. She was active in the county home extension activities and was a long-time member of the Merry Matrons club, an off-shoot of those activities.
Mildred and Ray loved dancing, especially square dancing, and playing cards. They were part of an informal pinochle group of six couples from the Platteville area that met for decades. Mildred was a quilter and accomplished seamstress. Her chicken and noodles, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, and chocolate chip cookies were always in demand at family gatherings.
After Ray passed away in 1979, Mildred successfully managed the two family farms for over twenty years. In 1989 she moved into Longmont, replanting her “city girl” roots.
For many years Mildred and Ray attended the Platteville Methodist Church and Mildred was very active in the United Methodist Women’s group. When she moved to Longmont she attended the First United Methodist Church of Longmont and joined the Wesley Anns, a multi-generational female choir at the church. Later on, Mildred moved into the Beatrice Hover Assisted Living Residence and joined the Longs Peak Methodist church across the street.
Just three weeks shy of her 101st birthday, surrounded by family, wearing a brand-new black and white suit and bright red lipstick, Mildred said she was very happy. Her kismet was a long, fulfilling life full of family, faith, hard work and good fun, lived with the Rocky Mountains always in sight.
Survivors include two sons, Robert A. and his wife Deanne of Longmont, and James L. and his wife Lou of Georgetown, TX. Two daughters survive, Carol A. Sarchet of Loveland and Linda J. Ryan, (and her husband Michael of Kailua, Hawaii). Fourteen grandchildren, Tammy Will, Jeffrey Sarchet, Kimberly Nurnberger, Sharron and Richard Sarchet, Sheryl Dombrowski, Michael and Curtis Wait, Alyson Bradley, Julia Kessinger, Laura and Stephen Honse, and Andrew and Katherine Ryan survive Mildred, along with 23 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren. Mildred was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter Nancy Rae Wait, grandsons Jason Sarchet, and Jon Allen Sarchet granddaughter Judith Kay Sarchet, 4 brothers and 1 sister.
Memorial services will be Saturday, August 17, 2013, 10:30 a.m. at the Longs Peak Methodist Church in Longmont with the Reverend Curtis Wait, Mildred’s grandson, officiating. Services will conclude at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Tiny Tim Center of Longmont, or the Longmont United Hospital in care of Howe Mortuary.
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