Mary E. Kolenc

Mary Elizabeth Kolenc, 98, died in her home in Lakewood, Colo., surrounded by family, on October 30, 2013.

Mary was born in Creede, Colo., on May 15, 1915, to Lorenz and Agnes (Schweitzer) Welte, both of whom emigrated from Germany. She moved with her family to Denver as a young girl and graduated from St. Joseph's High School in 1934. She was married to the now-deceased Frank Kolenc on August 19, 1935, who worked for the Denver Water Department. She worked in cafeterias for years in several schools in the Denver Public Schools system, from which she retired in September of 1981.

Mary loved to walk daily, especially in Downtown Denver. She continued to ride a stationary bicycle every day, almost to the end of her life.

She loved to read, especially the morning newspaper. She enjoyed drinking coffee and eating in restaurants. For a large part of her life, she was an excellent cook and a voracious collector of recipes. She loved doing things with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She never missed a chance to visit her hometown Creede. She celebrated her 90th birthday in Creede with her family in 2005.

She is survived by two daughters: Pat Krenzer, of Mesa, Ariz., and Mary Land, of Colorado Springs; two sons: David, of Denver, and Victor, of El Paso, Texas; nine grandchildren: Scott and Eric Land and K.C. Krenzer, of Denver; Kristy (Krenzer) Blum, of Mesa, Ariz.; April (Kolenc) See, Laura and Andy Kolenc, of Denver and Olivia and Christopher Kolenc, of El Paso, Texas; and four great-grandchildren: Austin and C.J. Blum, of Mesa, Ariz., and Gabe and Grace Kolenc, of Denver.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; son, Larry Kolenc, of Denver; brother, Joe Welte, and sisters, Philippine Welte, and
Magdalene Ginsburg, all of Denver; son-in-law, Larry Krenzer, of Tempe,
Ariz., and daughter-in-law, Kathy Kolenc, of Denver.