Gwendolyn E. Minks

Gwendolyn Eileen Beckett Minks, 86, of Fort Collins, Colorado died January 15, 2010 at Good Samaritan Fort Collins Village. Mrs. Minks was born September 22, 1923 near Greensburg, Kansas to Claud H. Beckett and Nancy E. Durnil Beckett. Gwendolyn married Norman Arthur Minks, her high school sweetheart, on April 21, 1944 in Greensburg. Gwen graduated from Greensburg High School in 1941 and from Wesley Hospital School of Nursing at Wichita, Kansas in 1945. Gwen and Norman raised their children on a cattle ranch near Hereford, Texas. Later, after moving to Saguache, Colorado, Gwen pursued her career as a registered nurse by first working in the school district and then in public health in Saguache County. After Norman's death in 1987, Gwen relocated to Del Norte, Colorado where she worked as a staff nurse and then dept. head in the Rio Grande County Public Health Dept. until 1994, retiring at age 71. She was active on several volunteer boards of directors serving elders and disabled individuals, as well as the building project for the new Rio Grande Hospital. Gwen was a member of the Methodist churches of Greensburg, Hereford, Saguache, and the Pioneer United Church of Del Norte. Other memberships included History Club and PEO, both in Del Norte and Fort Collins. Survivors include her son, Lawrence Minks Joan of Durant, Oklahoma; daughters, Nancy Coleman Gregory of Broomfield, Colorado and Margaret Mizushima Charles of Wellington, Colorado; sister, Mollie Dudgeon Gene of Terre Haute, Indiana; grandchildren, Laura Rey Ford, Amanda Alvaro Baca, Joy, and Aaron Minks, Roy Briene and April Coleman, and Sarah and Bethany Mizushima; great-grandchildren, Kaitlin, Karissa, and Dylan Coleman; step-great-grandchildren, Chacey Ford Malhouitre Romain and Charissa Ford; step-great-great-grandchildren, Kaya and Hailey Saks. Preceding Gwendolyn in death are her husband, Norman Minks, and her parents, Claud and Nancy Beckett. A memorial service will be held at Good Samaritan, Fort Collins Village Chapel, 508 W. Trilby Rd. on January 23, 2010 at 2:00 p.m., officiated by Chaplain Steve Kitterman. A gathering for family and friends for a time of sharing will be held at the United Methodist Church, 600 W. Lincoln, in Greensburg on January 24, 2010 at 2:00 p.m., followed by interment at the Greensburg Fairview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Gwendolyn Eileen Minks Scholarship Fund at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, c/o Southeastern Foundation, Inc., 1405 North 4th Ave., PMB 4187, Durant, Oklahoma 74701-0609 or Good Samaritan Society, Fort Collins Village in care of Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive St., Ft. Collins, CO 80524.