In Memory Of
Donna Louise Brown Ervin
1932
2016
Donna Louise Brown Ervin
April 13, 1932 — December 14, 2016
Donna Brown Ervin
April 13, 1932 – December 14, 2016
Donna Louise Brown Ervin was born on April 13, 1932, in Haddam, Washington County, Kansas. She is preceded in death by her husband, William Philip Ervin (1918-1968), her mother Laurene Brown June, her
father Glen June, and her sister, Glenda Brown Harding. \
She is survived by her son, Christopher Philip Ervin of Littleton, Colorado, daughter-in-law, Nancy Johnson Ervin, granddaughters Sarah Eilert, Rebekah Ervin, Rachel Ervin, Mary Beth Ervin, and Anna Ervin, a niece, Kimberly Harding Bombadier of Concordia, Kansas, and a sister-in-law, Ellen Ervin Lunsford of El Cajon, California.
Donna moved to Denver, Colorado in 1950. She worked for a CPA firm typing tax returns and then worked for several other companies including Gas Equipment Company in Wheat Ridge and Mount Vernon Country
Club. She worked as a realtor for a number of years before retirement. Her interests included playing bridge, cooking, politics, education, Broncos football and fishing.
Donna and William ("Bill") Ervin met in 1952 while both lived in boarding houses on Pennsylvania Street in the Capital Hill area of Denver. The boarding houses were converted mansions owned by the same family. Meals were provided for both houses in the dining room of the "girls'" house, so Bill and Donna met at meals and began dating. Bill and Donna were married on April 19, 1953, at the old Rockland Community Church
near Genesee Park. They lived near Genesee until they purchased property near Bergen Park and built a house. They tried their hand at raising mink for fur, but the market crashed and they moved on to other endeavors, Bill as a surveyor and Donna as bookkeeper for Mount Vernon Country Club.
A son named David was born but died a day after birth. Then, two years later, son Christopher Philip was born. In God's plan, Bill became ill with leukemia and died in December of 1968.
When Chris was in first grade, Donna volunteered in the library one day a week at Bergen Elementary School. She was appalled at the new "open learning" experimentation at the school. During the following summer break, she read fourteen books on the history of education in America and the liberal agenda that drove the drastic changes in purpose and scope of public education through the teachers' colleges. Donna participated with a small group of parents and concerned Jefferson County residents who started Dennison Elementary as the only fundamental "open option enrollment" elementary school in Jefferson County in 1974. This was a monumental task involving school board meeting attendance, research, and a struggle with the educational establishment in the District to allow this roll-back to the way education used to be. In the intervening years, Dennison and the additional fundamental junior high/senior high school in the District, D'Evelyn, have thrived with long waiting lists for parents wanting to enroll their children.
Even though Donna was involved with the fight to establish the undamental school in Jefferson County, she chose to enroll Chris in private Christian Schools-Beth Eden Baptist and then Silver State Baptist. She gladly paid the tuition, though at times it was a struggle, because she believed strongly in not only the education, but the Biblical philosophy of these schools. In fact, it was her dissatisfaction with the public schools that led to both Donna and Chris hearing and responding to the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Anyone who realizes that he or she is a sinner bound for Hell can accept the free gift of salvation available through the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's Son, on the cross.
After Chris graduated from high school, Donna paid for most of his college education through her successful real estate business and wise investing. She was a wonderful mother for a boy, encouraging, but never coddling: willing to let go and always encouraging Chris in sports, academics or whatever the endeavor.
Who was my Mom? She was a loving mother and a patriotic American. She loved to entertain and was considered a fine cook of the "down-home on the farm" variety. She owned well over 50 cook books and squirreled recipes away in all sorts of places. She was a woman of strong opinions but with a soft heart for people and a hospitable home.
To share a memory or condolence with Donna's family, please visit the guestbook below.
April 13, 1932 – December 14, 2016
Donna Louise Brown Ervin was born on April 13, 1932, in Haddam, Washington County, Kansas. She is preceded in death by her husband, William Philip Ervin (1918-1968), her mother Laurene Brown June, her
father Glen June, and her sister, Glenda Brown Harding. \
She is survived by her son, Christopher Philip Ervin of Littleton, Colorado, daughter-in-law, Nancy Johnson Ervin, granddaughters Sarah Eilert, Rebekah Ervin, Rachel Ervin, Mary Beth Ervin, and Anna Ervin, a niece, Kimberly Harding Bombadier of Concordia, Kansas, and a sister-in-law, Ellen Ervin Lunsford of El Cajon, California.
Donna moved to Denver, Colorado in 1950. She worked for a CPA firm typing tax returns and then worked for several other companies including Gas Equipment Company in Wheat Ridge and Mount Vernon Country
Club. She worked as a realtor for a number of years before retirement. Her interests included playing bridge, cooking, politics, education, Broncos football and fishing.
Donna and William ("Bill") Ervin met in 1952 while both lived in boarding houses on Pennsylvania Street in the Capital Hill area of Denver. The boarding houses were converted mansions owned by the same family. Meals were provided for both houses in the dining room of the "girls'" house, so Bill and Donna met at meals and began dating. Bill and Donna were married on April 19, 1953, at the old Rockland Community Church
near Genesee Park. They lived near Genesee until they purchased property near Bergen Park and built a house. They tried their hand at raising mink for fur, but the market crashed and they moved on to other endeavors, Bill as a surveyor and Donna as bookkeeper for Mount Vernon Country Club.
A son named David was born but died a day after birth. Then, two years later, son Christopher Philip was born. In God's plan, Bill became ill with leukemia and died in December of 1968.
When Chris was in first grade, Donna volunteered in the library one day a week at Bergen Elementary School. She was appalled at the new "open learning" experimentation at the school. During the following summer break, she read fourteen books on the history of education in America and the liberal agenda that drove the drastic changes in purpose and scope of public education through the teachers' colleges. Donna participated with a small group of parents and concerned Jefferson County residents who started Dennison Elementary as the only fundamental "open option enrollment" elementary school in Jefferson County in 1974. This was a monumental task involving school board meeting attendance, research, and a struggle with the educational establishment in the District to allow this roll-back to the way education used to be. In the intervening years, Dennison and the additional fundamental junior high/senior high school in the District, D'Evelyn, have thrived with long waiting lists for parents wanting to enroll their children.
Even though Donna was involved with the fight to establish the undamental school in Jefferson County, she chose to enroll Chris in private Christian Schools-Beth Eden Baptist and then Silver State Baptist. She gladly paid the tuition, though at times it was a struggle, because she believed strongly in not only the education, but the Biblical philosophy of these schools. In fact, it was her dissatisfaction with the public schools that led to both Donna and Chris hearing and responding to the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Anyone who realizes that he or she is a sinner bound for Hell can accept the free gift of salvation available through the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's Son, on the cross.
After Chris graduated from high school, Donna paid for most of his college education through her successful real estate business and wise investing. She was a wonderful mother for a boy, encouraging, but never coddling: willing to let go and always encouraging Chris in sports, academics or whatever the endeavor.
Who was my Mom? She was a loving mother and a patriotic American. She loved to entertain and was considered a fine cook of the "down-home on the farm" variety. She owned well over 50 cook books and squirreled recipes away in all sorts of places. She was a woman of strong opinions but with a soft heart for people and a hospitable home.
To share a memory or condolence with Donna's family, please visit the guestbook below.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Donna Louise Brown Ervin, please visit our flower store.
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