Obituary - Rita K. Carlson, 65

Rita K. Carlson of Longmont died October 25, 2003 at HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties Care Center in Louisville. She was 65.

She was born March 11, 1938 in Lamar to Bernard and Clara (Rittgers) Koch. She grew up in Eads and graduated from Eads High School in 1956 and then from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 1960.

She married James L. Mudge on September 15, 1961 in Jamestown. They later divorced. She married Edwin S. Carlson in 1968 in Boulder and they also later divorced. She moved to Longmont in 1967 from Boulder.

She taught in the St. Vrain Valley Schools for 32 years, teaching one year at Mountain View Elementary and then 4^th grade at Niwot Elementary from 1961 to 1993.

She was a former President for the St. Vrain Valley Education Association and served for 8 years on the Colorado Education Association Board of Directors. She also served one term as Vice Chair of the Boulder County Democratic Party and was very active in the Democratic Party. She was active in Cub Scouts Pack #60 in Longmont where she served as Den Mother and Pack Leader from 1970 to 1973.

She was a dedicated mother and grandmother who enjoyed her grandchildren. She also enjoyed her friends, especially in the Niwot Elementary Retired Teachers Association, and was a CU Buffaloes, Colorado Rockies and Denver Broncos fan. She will be remembered as a cat lover who had a special fondness for her pets. She loved to travel, taking cruises, trips to Arizona and traveling to the Great Lakes and New England in the fall. She collected light houses and liked to work on jigsaw puzzles. She also enjoyed gaming and her last adventure was a trip to Black Hawk two weeks ago.

She is survived by her son, J. Gregory Mudge of Highlands Ranch; a sister Verta Simpson and her husband Keith of Longmont; two grandchildren: Christopher D. Mudge and Emily K. Mudge and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, November 8 at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel with Chaplain Jean Scott of HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties officiating. Cremation will be at the Ahlberg Funeral Chapel and Crematory. Memorial Contributions may be made to Longmont Humane Society or to HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties in care of Ahlberg Funeral Chapel, 326 Terry Street, Longmont, CO 80501.