Ramona “Jane” Harms (Rutz) was born on October 23, 1934 to Ruth (Spaulding) and Otto Rutz in Yuma, Colorado. She passed away on November 29, 2022 at the Wray Community District Hospital in Wray, Colorado, she was 88.
Jane was the youngest of three children. She had fond memories of growing up in Otis with her family and talked about playing in the creek with her cousins and how excited she was when her dad would bring her candy bars from the pool hall he owned.
Jane met her husband Jim of 71 years through his sister Joyce. They were friends and schoolmates, and Joyce introduced the two at a local football game. As they began dating, Jim would regularly visit Jane at her home and he would always bring a gallon of ice cream to share with her family. They spent their time together going to town to attend a movie or go roller skating.
Jim and Jane were married on December 29th, 1951 in a church ceremony in Yuma Colorado. Jim and Jane resided north of Otis welcomed their first child, C Jay in January of 1953. Two years later, Jim and Jane bought their first home in Otis, Colorado. Their second child Sharon was born in 1956 but passed away due to pregnancy complications. They welcomed their third child Karen in October of 1962.
When their oldest was in high school, Jane went to work at the local diner where she worked until she got the first of a couple positions she held at the Akron Hospital. Through her years working at the hospital, she gained lifelong friendships with her co-workers who she enjoyed working with. Jane worked at the hospital until her retirement.
Jim and Jane enjoyed raising their children and spending time with family and friends. They were active members of the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Otis. Jim and Jane took pride in decorating for the church for the holidays and especially enjoyed going to get the alter Christmas Tree and Easter Lilies. She loved helping her best friends with organizing the famous Christmas Craft Bazaar at the church each year which raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Church and missions.
Jane lived a long life doing all the things she loved. She was an avid crafter and very much enjoyed working with flowers, wood, ribbon and glitter. She also enjoyed painting ceramics, shopping, fishing, cooking and making homemade ice cream, gardening, storm and fire truck chasing, babysitting her grandkids, playing cards and marbles, picking pumpkins and decorating their home for every holiday. She especially loved Christmas and had a tree in almost every room. She enjoyed traveling to Denver to spend time with their family and friends and going to antique stores and stopping at every garage sale she saws. She was full of energy and always ready to see what trouble she could get into; most would say she was onery in the best kind of way.
Jane resided at Hillcrest Care Center in Wray and was fortunate to have an amazing staff that loved her. Following the death of Jim, they made sure she had space to do her crafts and embraced the glitter she had everywhere.
Jane is survived by her Son C. Jay Harms; Pleasanton, CA/Wray, CO, daughter Karen Pariset; Fairbanks, AK; grandchildren Kenda Enney (Larry); Thornton, CO, Curtis Harms (Jennifer);Dacono, CO, Meggan Carter (Marcus); Vernon, CO, Gregg Pariset (Ali); Wray, CO, Matt Pariset (Alexa); Greeley, CO, 14 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. Jane is proceeded in death by her husband Jim, parents, siblings, and her daughter.
Funeral Service was Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 10 a.m. at the Calvary Lutheran Church 518 Dexter Street Wray, CO 80758. Interment was at the Otis Cemetery.
2022-12-23