Lucille Jane Stankard

She was born Lucille Jane Waterman in Briggsdale, Colorado on November 26, 1914 according to her birth certificate. Some of her family will tell you it was November 26, 1913, and this has been a debate for years. What’s not debatable is that she was born to the late George and Alma Waterman and was also preceded in death by her brothers George, Harry, Lucky and her sisters Grace and Endia. She buried her daughter Diane in 2013.

Lucille was one of seven in the 1930 graduating class of Briggsdale High School. After graduation she moved to Denver with her sister Grace and they both went to work for Eddie Bohn at the Pig and Whistle. It was Eddie that thought Lucille would be a great bartender and after a short time of waiting tables Eddie started training her to tend the bar. She certainly took to her new job and continued to do that after she went to work at The Edelweiss. In the years following she worked at The Yucca, The Bluebird, and The Red Ram.

Lucille married Steve Stankard shortly after WWII and together they had 2 children, Diane and Mike. Their family spent some time in France, while Steve was in the Air Force. Both children attended school there for a couple of years. They returned to the states about 1959 and Steve and Lucille divorced in 1962. Lucille and the kids stayed in Denver to be near Lucille’s family after the divorce.

In early 1963, together with her nephew Bill, she purchased a local bar in Lakewood. They ran Smaxie’s (The Front Range Inn) until they sold it in 1969 when she went to work at The Boulevard Inn. The Boulevard Inn was her last job and she worked there until well after she should have retired from such a physical job.

Affectionately known as Lucy by her family and many friends, she was a tremendous mother and the kind of grandmother that every kid wants. She was spunky and sarcastic with a little bit of ornery mixed in. She enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and her great grandchildren whether it be at the park, the mall, or running errands. She believed that time spent together was really all you needed. She loved family reunions and for her children and grandchildren they were never really optional-nor were the holidays. Those days were meant to be spent with family and that was what she loved. She liked to travel, and especially enjoyed cruises. She was an avid sports fan, never missed a Bronco game, and was thrilled to learn about a new sport when the Rockies came around. She knew her players and coached both football and baseball from the comfort of her chair. Crossword puzzles and books were a pastime that she wouldn’t give up until her eyes were so bad that even large print was too small. She took pride in her children and her grandchildren, and never could say enough about how proud she was of each and every one of them. She was a little bit vain and worried about if your bangs were in your eyes, your hair needed to be combed or if your clothes had a wrinkle. She was always impeccably dressed, carried a purse, and wore lipstick to dinner until the day she died.

Her kind, generous soul, and her ornery sense of humor will be missed by everyone who knew her. She is survived by her son Mike, grandchildren Stephanie Adolph (Wayne), Shannon Smart, Jason White (Noelle), Adam Stankard. Her youngest blessings and great grandchildren Danielle Quezada (Irvin), Kalin Gilbert, Josiah Pierce and Corey White along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be held Saturday December 1 at 10am at the Olinger Moore Howard Chapel located at 4345 W 46th Ave. Denver, 80212, followed by interment at Crown Hill Cemetery.