Orville J. Kubat

Orville James Kubat passed away peacefully on February 1, 2018. He was born in Alamosa, CO to Mary Demea (McDaniel) Kubat and Vencle James Kubat on October 9, 1922.His family moved to Denver in 1923 where they purchased a small farm that became known as the Kubat Brothers Dairy Farm. The farm chores taught Orville his lifelong characteristic of hard work and relentless self-improvement.While on the farm, his younger sister Louise Ellen Kubat passed away at the very young age of 3 from scarlet fever. Orville graduated from Englewood High School, Englewood, CO in 1940. After high school, Orville got his first job at a Piggly Wiggly grocery store, in Denver, CO. While delivering groceries to a nearby restaurant called Stone Café, he met the owners' oldest daughter and waitress, named Shirley Stone. Their relationship blossomed and they were married on October 17, 1943.The Kubats welcomed into life, their two daughters Gayle and Lynette.Soon thereafter, WWII evolved, and he worked as a wartime manufacturer in Denver, there, his training and duties introduced him to the petroleum equipment business. It was the beginning of his long career.In 1949, he started his own company that was called Guaranteed Pump Service. Later, Orville changed the name to Kubat Equipment Company and his company became a major force in the industry. The company continues to thrive currently under the same name, and is now owned by the Hoyer family.Orville was elected as the national president of the Petroleum Equipment Institute in 1988. That honor was bestowed upon him due to his commitment and success in the industry. He retired in 1992. His passions included his business relationships, the El Jebel Shrine Scooter Patrol, ranching, and a lifelong hobby of countless domestic and global travel trips, mainly through Ports of Call.Orville returned to his J Lazy K ranching life in Longmont, CO about 1977 with his second wife, Patricia and her two daughters, Mary and Beth. There he returned to his roots of raising cattle and hay, while still managing his company in Denver.Orville is survived by his second wife Patricia Muriel Kubat, his daughters Gayle Browning (Tom) and Lynette Sprague; his grandchildren “ Tom Browning, Jr., Terri Cruickshank, Jason Sprague, and Tawnia Emerson; his great grandchildren “ Kayla Browning, Marissa Browning, Kalin Emerson and Neil Emerson; step-daughters “ Mary Monr (Mike) and Elizabeth Drake (Jack); step-grandchildren “ Alissa Drake and Dustin and Dylan Monr .