Colleen Damon Everding

Colleen Everding of Littleton, Colorado, died on March 22, 2024, in Parker, Colorado, a few days after her 90th birthday on March 17—a St. Patrick’s Day Irish baby.

Colleen was born near Silver Creek, New York on March 17, 1934, to Ray and Florence Damon, born seven years after her older sister Geraldine. At one point, they lived in a small house across from the Kendall Tourist Camp on US Rte 20 with 49 cabins (for the 48 states and District of Columbia). During summers, Colleen and her grandmother, Alice Kelley, worked the cottages. She didn’t like being all alone in the summers away from her friends. If the cabins were booked, her father would make Colleen sleep in the garage and rent out her room. During World War II, the government commandeered the tourist camp for Italian prisoners of war.

Colleen went to Syracuse University where she had the time of her life. One of her professors mentioned that the fraternities didn’t accept black men, goading her to ask them if they do. Colleen marched over to the nearest fraternity and knocked on the door. As a woman, she really wasn’t supposed to do that, or enter the house. But they let her in. And she asked if they accepted black men as pledges. They said no. It was a bit of a scandal, because it was an unspoken discrimination. But it existed and they got in trouble for voicing this prejudice. Colleen befriended a black woman classmate and urged her to join her Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, Eta Chapter, but the woman said she knew she wouldn’t be accepted. Colleen maintained lasting friendships with her sorority sisters. She graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in psychology.

Colleen married and moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts where she worked at Harvard as a professor’s assistant. She gave birth to twins Lisa Rae and Linda Kay in 1960, and in 1964, she gave birth to a third daughter, Kelly Ruth. After moving to Dallas, Texas in 1965, Colleen gave birth to her beloved son, Henry Edward Everding, III. The family moved to Colorado a few years later where they remained.

Colleen worked as an administrative assistant at a local elementary school in Littleton, Colorado where the family lived. Later, she worked for ARC and then at Information Handling Services (IHS). Colleen worked hard and made close friends at her various workplaces. She enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, Las Vegas, and Orlando, Florida and visiting her family in upstate New York.

Colleen was the proud grandmother of five: Mackenzie, Stephanie, and Lyssa (Linda and Mark Roberts) and Lance and Craig (Lisa and Garyl Roberts). Subsequently, she became a great grandmother of 15! She also adored her son’s dog, Kali, who she dog-sat many times while Henry was off mountain climbing and traveling the world.

Colleen was preceded in death by parents Ray A. and Florence Damon, sister and brother-in-law Geraldine and Jim Jolles, son Henry Edward Everding, III., and great-grandson Zeke Herrera. Colleen is survived by her daughters Lisa (Garyl) Roberts, Linda (Mark) Roberts, Kelly Everding (Eric Lorberer), and daughter-in-law Linda Dugger; grandchildren Mackenzie, Stephanie, Lyssa, Lance, and Craig; great-grandchildren Emma, Elsie, and Carlie (Mackenzie & Kyle Johnson); Zurielle, Zerahiah, and Aaziah (Stephanie and Oscar Herrera); Evelyn, Laddie, Klein, and Garnett (Lyssa and Chris Jones); Madalaine, Annalise, and Teddy (Lance Roberts); and Tyson (Craig Roberts); and nephew Randy Jolles (Margie).

A private family memorial was held on March 28, 2024. Colleen’s family want to extend their gratitude to the caregivers at BeeHive Homes Assisted Living in Parker and Legacy Memory Care in Castle Pines who took wonderful care of her in her declining last few years. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Dementia Society of America.

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