Lanny M. Conrad

Lanny Marion Conrad, 62, was born to Marion (Cotton) and Norma Conrad on September 22, 1950, in Denver, CO. He was a loving and courageous man who went home to heaven on July 3, 2013, after a lengthy battle with pain and illness.
Lanny grew up in Denver and then attended CSU, eventually making his home in Fort Collins. He worked for the Division of Wildlife and later for The Coloradoan.
Lanny loved the mountains, music, baseball, and working with young people. He was an avid backpacker and fisherman and fought for many environmental causes. He felt most at peace when hiking to a high mountain lake where he would enjoy the solitude and beauty of nature. He had a rich bass voice and loved to sing, often making up silly songs to entertain his children and grandchildren. He also sang with his church choir and an ensemble called Common Bond. He coached Little League Baseball and Softball, first for his own children and later, for other children. It was his belief that baseball was more about learning to be a decent person than about winning, and he patiently and gently instilled high standards in the many young people whose lives he touched through coaching. With his wife, Lanny took numerous international trips with junior high and high school students; and he opened the world to these teenagers through his unique and insightful observations of various cultures. He was a favorite chaperone because of his willingness to "let go" and be silly and have fun. Even more than these activities, however, Lanny loved his family. He married his wife, Colleen, on November 17, 1990, and immediately embraced her four children, making them his own. He was overjoyed when grandchildren were added to the family and would often "disappear" from the adult conversations to settle on the floor and play with his grandchildren. He brought laughter and a sense of balance to Colleen's life; and he was the best grandpa, investing in his grandchildren's lives with enthusiasm and fierce devotion. He shared a similar commitment to his father, Cotton, during Cotton's final months and had continued to care for his mother, Norma, after his father's passing. Those who knew and loved Lanny will remember him for his lively sense of humor and his complete devotion to his family.
Lanny was preceded in death by his father, Cotton Conrad. He leaves behind his beloved wife and best friend, Colleen; his children, Jason Conrad, Heather Pulley (husband Mike), Kyle Larson (wife Lisa), Kirk Larson (wife Jamie), and Halley Smith (husband Joseph), as well as his 8 treasured grandchildren: Madison, Emma, Max, Sophia, Ethan, Alivia, Liam, and Maya; his mother, Norma Conrad, and sister, Karen Winslow (husband Steve) and 3 nephews (Matthew, Marshall, and Mark) and their families.
A memorial service will be held at Timberline Church on Tuesday, July 9, at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lanny's name to Fort Collins Rescue Mission (in care of Heather Pulley), 316 Jefferson St, Ft. Collins, CO 80524.