Wilson Lockett Brumley

WILSON LOCKETT BRUMLEY Memorial services for lifelong Dolores resident Wilson Lockett Brumley will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, November 4 at Trinity Lutheran Church. Pastor David Dahl will officiate. Masonic graveside rites will be held at Summit Ridge Cemetery at 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. Wilson was born on November 17, 1920 to Irvin Wilson and Lillie Pearl (Lockett) Brumley in Dolores, Colo. He passed away on Friday, October 31, 2008 at his residence at the age of 87. Wilson was born in the family home on 8th street in Dolores and his mom continued to live there until her death in 1998. Wilson graduated from the Dolores Schools in 1938. He attended one year of college at C.S.U. with his roommate, Stanley McCabe. On August 12, 1939, he married the first love of his life, Betty Lou Lyen. They shared 47 years of marriage into which four children were born. Together, they shared a passionate love of Groundhog and the ranch until Betty's death in 1986. Wilson served his country during WWII in both the Philippines and Japan. After he returned from military service, he ranched with his father on Groundhog, the Glade, Disappointment Valley and Gypsum Valley. In the later years, he maintained the ranch at Groundhog. Wilson felt that he was given a special gift in Groundhog. He was proud to preserve it as a ranch for all of his lifetime and his ultimate goal was to preserve it as a ranch for future generations. Just before his passing, Wilson realized his goal by placing the ranch in a Conservation Easement with Montezuma Land Conservancy for all future generations. On October 28, 1998, Wilson married the final love of his life, Norma Jean Wolff Brumley. They enjoyed 10 wonderful years together, where they continued to share their love of Groundhog and doing some traveling together. Aryol and Jackie and Mary Ann and Dewayne were lucky enough to get to take an unforgettable trip to Switzerland with Wilson and Norma in 2003. Norma was a blessed caregiver to Wilson for all of the time that they had together. During his life in Dolores, Wilson was a very active community member. He was a director of J.J. Harris & CO bank in Dolores and First National Bank in Cortez. He spent many years as president of the Dolores School Board, and after that he served from March 1965 until he retired in 1989 as president of Empire Electric Assoc. Wilson was a 50+ year member of the Masonic Lodge in Dolores and the Escalante Shrine Club. He was a member of the Lutheran church in Cortez. Wilson was also a member of the Cortez Elks Lodge. He was proud to be a retired member of the Dolores Fire Department where he served as a volunteer for 25 years. He served as chief of the department for some of those years. When asked what his occupation was, he would always answer, "I'm just an old, unemployed sheepherder." Wilson leaves at his passing his wife, Norma Brumley of Dolores; and his children, Aryol Brumley and wife, Jackie of Cortez, Gary Dean Brumley and wife, Sandy of Sacramento, Calif., Mary Ann Findley and husband, Dewayne of Cortez, and Dennis Brumley and wife, Patty Jo of Dolores. Wilson also leaves behind nine grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and three step children. He was preceded in death by his parents; and his beloved wife, Betty. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in Wilson's name to the Dolores State Bank, P.O. Box 848, Dolores, Colo. 81323.