NATURITA — Raymond Anton Klenda, age 66, of Naturita, Colo., passed away from a sudden heart attack at his home on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009. Raymond was born April 2, 1942, to Anton and Ila (Nielson) Klenda in Salt Lake City, Utah. Surviving family members who were honored to share his life include his three sons: Steven Klenda of Denver, Colo., Michael Klenda of Perrysburg, Ohio, Major Daryl Klenda of Colorado Springs, Colo.; one daughter, Cheryl Pressl (Klenda) of Charles Town, W.V.; a sister, Marjean Ellington of Salt Lake City, Utah; and five grandchildren: Caleb, Abby, Isaac, Tristan, Ethan and Eliana.
Raymond spent his childhood and received his education in Tooele, Utah. Raymond completed two years of higher education at Steven Henager Business School in Salt Lake City, Utah. Following business school, Raymond moved to Crested Butte, Colo. and began his lifelong career as a miner. While in Crested Butte, Raymond worked in the Keystone Mine for McFarland and Hullinger. It was in Crested Butte that Raymond met Kathryn Saya. They were married on March 30, 1967 in Tooele, Utah. Kathryn currently resides in Seneca, S.C.
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Raymond’s mining career began and ended in Colorado, which he referred to as “God’s Country.” Raymond contributed to projects across the United States and Canada working for various companies including Peter Kiewitt, Gilbert Corp., AMS, Nuvemco and others. His resume included renovation of the Nebraska Kingsley Dam, the CB Oil Shale Development Project, coal mining in West Virgina, tunnel and timbering for Kennecott Copper in Utah, the Texas Supercollider, Mass Transit Systems in D.C. and Philadelphia, the Carr Fork Project in his home town of Tooole and the Bad Creek Hydro Plant in South Carolina.
Raymond moved to Naturita a year and a half ago, after working several years for Detroit Salt, in Detroit, Mich. Raymond was employed by Nuvemco and worked underground mining uranium. Raymond loved Colorado, the great outdoors, was an avid fisherman and enjoyed hunting. He loved life and his family.
A rosary and visitation will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2009, at 7:15 p.m., at the Queen of all Saints Catholic Church in Crested Butte, Colo. A Funeral Mass is scheduled for Friday, March 6, 2009, at 10 a.m., at Queen of all Saints, with Rite of Committal to follow the Mass at Crested Butte Cemetery in Crested Butte, Colo. Arrangements are under the direction of Crippin Funeral Home and Crematory, 802 E. Main St., Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 249-2121.
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