Margaret Rayner

Margaret Jane, known to most as Janie, was born in Greeley, Colorado to Ralph and Agnes Baird. At the age of five, the family moved to Lamar, Colorado, where she participated in many activities including playing the French Horn in the high school band, acting in theater productions, membership in the Order of the Rainbow Girls and holding high academic honors. Following graduation from Lamar High School, Janie attended Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University) majoring in Occupational Therapy under the Home Economics department. She was a proud member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and graduated with academic honors. Janie completed her clinical training in Occupational Therapy at the Fitzsimons Military Hospital in Denver.

Janie met the love of her life, Richard (Dick) Rayner while they both attended CSU. They were married almost 75 years before Dick passed away a short two and a half months before Janie. They were apart shortly after marriage while Dick served in Morocco with the US Navy. Following Dick’s service, they moved to Los Angeles for a short time before embarking on an adventurous life with the US National Park Service beginning in Yosemite National Park. They lived and worked in nine parks and monuments, some extremely remote (Fort Jefferson in Florida and Death Valley in California) to the metropolis of Washington, D.C. Their favorite park to live in was Hawaii Volcanos National Park. They approached every new move as an adventure, an opportunity to explore a new part of the country. Although Janie maintained her certification in Occupational Therapy for many years, the reality of living in remote location required her to seek other occupations. Janie’s artistic and creative talents segued into teaching piano to neighborhood children and organ to other students, accompanying community theater productions and church services, working with other park women to sew period costumes for the Grand Canyon railway line, taking college classes to learn ceramics and pottery and helping develop a pottery studio for residents of Grand Canyon National Park. Janie created many scenic drawings and paintings, some award-winning, of the beautiful parks where she lived. She also worked for the US Postal Service, becoming Postmaster of the Death Valley post office.

A dedicated mother, Janie successfully raised three children with love, humor and planned (or otherwise) adventures. She sought out cultural opportunities for her family’s educational enrichment, from symphonies and opera, to luaus and powwows. Camping and hiking were favorite activities. Janie also passed on her love of art and craft from sewing, weaving, drawing, painting and music.

Following Dick’s retirement, they returned to Fort Collins and built their dream home, the first home they ever owned. Janie continued to work for the post office in Ault and Timnath until her retirement. She and Dick enjoyed traveling in Europe, Asia and the Middle East with their church group. Janie also was active with her investment club as well as regularly attending the Fort Collins Symphony and other cultural events. She especially enjoyed spending time at their mountain property and cabin up the Buckhorn Canyon. Janie was preceded in death by her husband, Dick and her brother Lyle. She is survived by her children Bruce (Tracé), Lisa (Garry), and Cheryl (Eric) as well as grandchildren Gretchen, Niclas, Eli, Meghan, Jade, Kestrel, Maya, and Issi, and great-grandchildren Bryce, Hugo, Jonas, and Iris.

Donations in their memory may be made to the Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department in Bellvue, CO.