Joseph M. Yadlowsky

Joseph M. Yadlowsky passed away peacefully in Fort Collins, CO, at age 83 on March 7, 2025. The son of John and Anna Yadlowsky, Joe was born on June 28, 1941, in Johnson City, New York. Joe's parents, Eastern European immigrants, reared the family in the traditions of the small Russian Orthodox community. Joe graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Buffalo, where he met his wife, Peggy. The two traveled extensively throughout Central and South America, at one point staying in Costa Rica so Joe could hunt sea snakes in the Pacific. He became an authority on snake venom, even being contacted by a coroner from California for help on a case. While pursuing his graduate degree in biochemistry, Joe published an article in the periodical Forensic Medicine.

Joe followed his brother Edward to Colorado in 1974 and later became a Deputy Sheriff in Larimer County, where he served for 21 years. He became known in the sheriff's office for his habit of constantly sketching. Joe drew pictures on everything he could get his hands on, frequently sketching on cups that he then gave to the inmates.

Art was Joe's greatest passion. He was an excellent watercolorist, winning numerous awards in both New York and Colorado. Joe especially loved painting "landscapes and critters." He was a member of the Colorado Artist's Association, and his work can be seen all over the country. Also a talented photographer, Joe captured memories from his extensive globetrotting in beautiful images.

A lifelong member of the Orthodox Church, Joe sang in church choirs for over 30 years. Joe and Peggy traveled with Orthodox choir members from all over the United States to Russia, where the group sang in churches in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev, and Tbilisi.

Joe and Peggy also took trips to England; to Italy, where they visited Peggy's grandfather's village; and to France, where the food was delicious and the mushrooms the size of dinner plates. They enjoyed attending the wedding of their niece Christine in Scotland. Their most recent trip was a tour of Eastern Europe that included visits to Hungary, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Vienna, and Slovakia. Everywhere Joe traveled, he went to every art museum he could find, always purchasing books to bring home. He used every voyage as inspiration for his artwork.

Joe stayed active and never stopped learning. He filled his days riding his recumbent tricycle, practicing yoga, studying history, and learning Chinese. He enjoyed hunting for elk in the mountains and learning more about the American West. In recent years Joe learned to ride horses at Hearts & Horses in Loveland, making him feel at last like a true westerner.

Joe is survived by his wife of 55 years, Peggy, and his brother, Edward Yadlowsky.

Funeral services will be held March 17, 2025, at 11am at St. James Orthodox Church in Fort Collins, CO. Internment will immediately follow at Mountain View Memorial Park in Cheyenne, WY. In lieu of flowers, please send gifts to St. James Orthodox Church or Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center.