Robert Bernard Elliott

Robert Bernard Elliott was born in 1949 in Denver, Colorado. His parents were Veronica (Voney DeVany) and Lloyd Elliott of Lakewood and Georgetown, Colorado. Rob was the seventh of eight children. He attended St. Bernadette’s primary school, Lakewood Jr. High, and Jefferson High School. As a boy Rob had a wide ranging curiosity which led him to be a life time avid reader. Rob loved to build airplanes, boats, and many other small things from match sticks. His parents eventually turned to providing Rob with toothpicks because they were constantly out of matches when they needed them most. Rob enjoyed riding his bike all over town with much more freedom than most kids have nowadays. Every ditch, pond, and marsh provided endless adventures. Rob loved spending time with his siblings camping, fishing, picnicking, and spending time outdoors. Not knowing what he wanted to do with the rest of his life, Rob enlisted in the US Army in November 1967 where he served two tours in Vietnam during the war. Rob returned home to go to college, studying Psychology and Sociology at Metropolitan State College in Denver where he met the love of his life, Beverly Sams. Rob and Bev married in August 1972 and had three wonderful children. After graduating, Rob became very active in the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 7 for 30 years. He was an Organizer, Business Representative, Spokesperson for Public Relations and the Editor for the Voice of 7 newspaper.

He retired in Grand Junction, Colorado where he went back to his childhood hobby of building his Toothpick Airforce. After years of teaching his children, their friends and other neighborhood children how to build and fly toothpick airplanes, Rob authored and published three books on the subject. These came to the attention of the Centennial of Flight Committee, NASA education, and Dare County, North Carolina School District who invited Rob to participate in the National 100th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers celebration of Flight, in Kitty Hawk, N.C. in December 2003.

Rob worked and lived for his family. He enjoyed his two sons and a daughter. They loved to travel and seek adventures all over the US and internationally. He was very proud of his children, their families, and their personal accomplishments. Rob was blessed with six amazing grandchildren. Rob also volunteered over ten years of service to the Museums of Western Colorado in many different capacities. He was recently honored with the 2019 Museum Service Award. Family and friends meant the world to Rob. He kept his sense of humor and stayed very positive about life until his last breath.

Rob’s last reflection:

“Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting “holy shit... what a ride!” (Unknown Source)

At 69, Rob passed away from cancer April 6, 2019 at HopeWest Hospice Care Center. Robert is survived by his wife, Beverly; sons, James H. (Beth) Elliott of Clifton, and Patrick L. (Chelsey) Elliott of Grand Junction; daughter, Jackie (Erich) Littlepage of Leadville; brothers, Thomas G. (Ellen) Elliott of Georgetown, and Edward (Sue) Elliott of Arvada; sisters, Sister Kathleen Elliott of St. Louis, Missouri, Elizabeth Bubblitz and Patricia Eilts, both of Arvada; and six grandchildren.

Celebration of Rob’s Life is planned for Saturday April 27, 2019 @ 12:00 at the Museums of Western Colorado 462 Ute Avenue, Grand Junction, CO. Inurnment will take place in Georgetown, Colorado in summer of 2019.

Memorial contributions may be made in Robert’s name to Roice-Hurst Humane Society at www.rhhumanesociety.org or Museums of Western Colorado at www.museumofwesternco.com