Ida R. Cicotello

Ida passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 12, 2013 in Aurora, Colorado.

Preceding her in death were her husband, M.J. "Nick" Cicotello on Jan. 12, 1981; her two sisters, Norine Hamilton and Elizabeth Richard; her brother, Frank Richard; her brother-in-law, Carl Hamilton and her sister-in-law, Lee Richard.

Ida was the beloved mother of Dainna Cicotello and Carol Cicotello. Other survivors include her daughter-in-law, Mary Cicotello; three grandchildren, Laurie Cicotello, Jason Botterbusch and Sherri Botterbusch and her fiancée, Robert Kiarsis; great grandsons, Taj Gordon, step-great grandson Alden Kiarsis; nieces Jeanne Brush and Frankie Hull; nephews John Hamilton and Dick Hamilton.

She met M.J. "Nick" Cicotello, a munitions instructor at Buckley Air Force Base, while roller skating at Mammoth Gardens in Denver. They were married May 26, 1946, at her parent's home in Fort Collins, Colo. After living in Denver a few years, Ida and Nick moved with their kids to a small home in Aurora. In 1960 the family moved to a larger home in Aurora where Ida lived until Feb. 2013, when she moved to Juniper Village Memory Care Assisted Living.

Ida was born April 17, 1918, in the city of Franklin, Neb., to Franklin Montgomery and Ellie Kline (Moyer) Richard. Her father was the founder and editor of the Franklin newspaper. Around 1920, the family moved to Julesburg, Colo., before finally settling in Fort Collins, Colo. Ida graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1936. She was proud to be a Lambkin and often attended alumni events.

During her undergraduate years, she took a year off and traveled around the middle of America with the Parkinson's National Music Ensemble headquartered in LaMars Iowa, playing concerts almost daily, primarily in high schools and colleges in small and medium-size cities. She graduated with her bachelor's degree from Colorado State College of Education, now known as University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo. She also studied at CSU. She received her master's degree from the University of Denver.

Ida was also a member of the Helen Hind's All Girl Orchestra, a project developed to try to break the "glass ceiling" for professional women musicians. The orchestra produced a demo tape, all ready to use by radio stations, to promote the orchestra itself as well as the notion of women as serious contributing musicians.

Through the years, Ida helped many music students at colleges and universities throughout the Front Range. In the early 1970s, Ida played a recital piano duet at DU with Condoleezza Rice, while Rice was - at that time - working toward a degree in music.

Ida was an elementary and music teacher with the Denver Public Schools for 27 years before retiring in 1981. The highlight of her time teaching music was directing a performance of HMS Pinafore at Whiteman Elementary School. Very well read on issues, Ida loved engaging people in political and socio-economic discussions.

Ida's wonderful talents on piano, oboe, and English horn were shared throughout the Denver community for many many years. She was a professional musician, playing oboe and English horn in the Brico Symphony Orchestra under famed conductor Antonia Brico. Ida also played for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Central City Opera and was in several quartets and trios. She was a member of the Steinway Music Club as well as the American Association of University Women (AAUW). She taught piano for several years and ensured her children and grandchildren were well versed in arts and culture.

Ida was initiated into the Delta Omicron Sorority in 1938 and remained an active member until her passing. She served as Delta Omicron Zeta Zeta Chapter President and Gamma Province President for several years. She was an excellent leader. A special contribution in recent years was the history Ida wrote of Zeta Zeta. It was presented at the 2009 DO 100th Birthday conference.

She loved music so much and was often found listening to her favorite operas and classical music programs. She attended several Zeta Zeta outings to the Metropolitan Opera (MET HD) Performances, accompanied by her friend and caregiver, Jebe Pens. She was a longtime member of the Denver Lyric Opera Guild and attended their luncheon programs and opera scholarship competitions for young adults. Ida was very in tune with this organization's goals of encouraging opera in Colorado and opera programs on College Campuses.

In lieu of flowers, Ida's family have asked that memorial gifts be made to Delta Omicron for music scholarships to be given by ZZ to the Gamma Province Collegiate Chapter members (Upsilon at CSU). Please make your memorial check to "Delta Omicron" with a notation at the bottom of check "For ZZ Music Scholarship".

Donations can be mailed to:
Delta Omicron
C/O Carol Cicotello
9660 W. La Salle Ave.
Lakewood, CO 80227

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