Joan Springston

To have known Joan Springston was to know what love means. Always generous and kind, her highest priorities in life were her family and her faith. Joan died in Loveland, Colorado at 89 after a long, courageous journey with Alzheimer's.

Born in Milwaukee, WI, to Wayne and Ramona Parker, Joan graduated from Messmer Catholic High School in 1951. Shortly after, she married James Kujawa. During their ten years together, they had six children. After moving to Colorado in 1963 and living for a short time in Littleton and Evergreen, Joan met and married Roger Springston. They settled in Ft. Collins, CO, where they owned a popular bar, Golden Ram. Joan later founded Foothills Family Care, a business devoted to providing quality childcare in Northern Colorado. She also served as a Camp Fire Girls leader.

She loved all animals, nature and the great outdoors. Joan enjoyed spending time at her cabin in Lac du Flambeau, WI. During retirement, she embraced the "beach life" while living in Palm Beach, FL, and divided her time between the beach and her beloved cabin in the woods. The cabin, which she built with her parents, was the place that instilled her life-long love of the outdoors. It provided her with the joy of swimming, canoeing, fishing, and birdwatching.

She returned to Colorado after the death of her husband, Roger, to be near family and lived at Affinity Senior Living in Loveland, CO. For several years she was lovingly cared for by family prior to spending her final months at Good Samaritan Skilled Nursing in Loveland. There, she was gently cared for by devoted staff, with additional loving support from Pathways Hospice, Volunteers of America and Elderhaus, and St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church.

There was nothing more important to Joan than her children and grandchildren. She loved and protected them through the joys and sorrows of life. The premature loss of her son Steven was one of her greatest heartaches.

Joan is survived by her children, Mark Kujawa (Theresa), Hazelhurst, WI, Geralyn Karl, Rhinelander, WI, , Chris Vetter (Ken), Berthoud, CO, Lauren Kujawa, Loveland, CO, and Leighann Boivin (Bo), Red Feather Lakes, CO. Joan's legacy also includes her grandchildren, Heather Savage (Justin), Casey Curoe (Cameron), Caleigh Hoiland (fiancé Chris Nelson), Katie Schreiner and Gabriella Sasso, as well as the great grandchildren, Jack Savage, Mila and Penelope Curoe and great-granddaughter Erin Schneider.

Joan was preceded in death by her son Steven Kujawa, parents Wayne and Ramona Parker and siblings Richard and Nancy.

Joan was a source of unconditional love, reminding us all that God will guide us through every heartbeat of life, whether it lasts a few moments or nearly ninety years.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts in Joan's memory be made to the Alzheimer's Association of Colorado or the dog rescue group, Harley's Dream, in Berthoud.