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Janice Darnall Hutchinson, long time resident of Cortez passed away peacefully on July 6, 2020. She was 85 years old.
The following is an edited version of a personal history written by Janice in 2002.
Long ago, but not so far away, I was born on a farm ten miles north of Cortez, the second of four children. I rode a horse two miles to a one room school with an outhouse and a horse shed. We were a normal family having milk cows, horses, pigs and a big garden. I was eight years old when my mother died. In 1948 my dad bought a house in Cortez and I started school at Calkins Elementary School. My sister Jo and I became the chief cooks and bottle washers. I was eleven and I taught myself how to sew on my mother's old treadle machine. I graduated from Montezuma Cortez High School in 1952. Soon after that, Clyde Hutchinson, a good looking man, came back to town from California. His wife hadpassed away and he was left alone with two year old Debbie and six month old Ted. We were married in 1953 and a year later, Shirley was born. So, I was the mother of three kids under the age of five when I was twenty!
In 1955 we moved to California where we bought a house for $7,900! I got involved with PTA, Girl and Boy Scouts and started doing custom sewing. David was born in 1960. After living in California for fifteen years we moved back to Colorado. Clyde and I purchased the Sears Catalog franchise and operated it for ten years. In 1979 we sold the catalog franchise and opened Jan's Fabrics, a lifelong dream of mine. I loved every minute of the ten years we were open. In 1989 we closed and I went to work for Social Services.
Clyde was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1999, I retired in April of 2000 and he died 2 months later.
I was an active member of PEO and have a long list of passions including quilting, sewing, knitting, and stained glass. I was a member of the Methodist Church and spent ten years helping in Hope's Kitchen feeding the poor and homeless. I also volunteered at the Methodist Thrift Shop.
I enjoyed being with my wonderful family, my sister, Jo Darnall; daughters Debbie Craven and Shirley Frank; sons Ted and David Hutchinson; my seven grandchildren, Julie Eikenberry, Josh Nolte, Sara Bayless, Katie Frank, Adam Frank , Audrey Utley, and CJ Wolf; and TEN great-grandchildren!
Janice passed away after enduring health issues for two years. A private family service is planned for September.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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