Montrose - Daily Press

Aug. 23, 1922 — March 6, 2009

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Mary Eileen Rawson died at her home in Albuquerque on Friday, March 6. She was born Aug. 23, 1922, in Alberta, Canada, where she spent her childhood.

Following graduation from business college, she was employed in the communications department of a large hospital in Edmonton. When the American Army established a presence in Edmonton, she became a Canadian civilian employee of the United States government. During that time, she met a Colorado soldier, Harold T. “Hap” Rawson, who was assigned with the 843rd Signal Corps to communications development on the Al-Can Highway. They were married June 11, 1946, in Edmonton, and she later became a naturalized U.S. citizen. 

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Hap and Eileen spent two years in Seattle, Wash., prior to moving to his hometown of Lake City, Colo., where they assumed ownership of the Hinsdale County Telephone Company. The couple grew the company from three private phones into a flourishing enterprise, which they sold in 1965. In the early 1960s, they converted the old switchboard system to a dial exchange, bringing another step of progress to Lake City. During her years in this mountain community, Eileen was a journalist, reporting Lake City news for papers in Montrose and Gunnison.

In the summer of 1962, they moved their family residence to Montrose so that their only child, Wendy Maureen (“Reenie”), could attend junior high and high school there. Hap commuted between Montrose and Lake City, and following Wendy’s high school graduation, Eileen rejoined him in Lake City during his work weeks.

Hap was stricken with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease at the age of 50, and among all of her life’s accomplishments, Eileen will be recalled most for her unflagging and dedicated care of him during the next 26 years until his death in 1997.

Many will also remember her for her love of education and as a champion of the underdog – human and animal. She never tired of encouraging young people to stay in school, go back to school or learn on their own, reminding them that “your education is something no one can ever take away from you.” And, although she would not have called herself a “joiner,” her most treasured affiliation was the Sunshine Circle in Montrose. In that venerable organization, she developed friendships that would truly last a lifetime.

Eileen moved to Albuquerque, N.M. in September 2008. She was proud to be a “Charter Resident” of Paloma Landing Retirement Community and enjoyed the last months of her life there near her family. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Wendy and Gordon Hoffman of Los Alamos, N.M.; her grandson, Nick Hoffman and his fiancée, Peggy MacLean, of Albuquerque; and her granddaughter, Angela Hoffman and her boyfriend, Dr. Marcos Gutierrez, of Corrales, N.M. Other survivors include three sisters-in-law, six nieces and one nephew. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; her parents; her brothers, Ed and Terry; a nephew; and a sister-in-law.

At her request, no funeral will be held. A graveside committal service will be conducted at Grand View Cemetery in Montrose at  2 p.m., Friday, March 13. The family wishes to thank Joyce Loss, Becky Brown and Jackie and George Townsend, all of Montrose, for their caring and friendship toward Eileen over many years. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Eileen’s memory may be made to the Montrose Animal Shelter, In memory of Mary Rawson, P.O. Box 790, Montrose, CO 81402 or the Lake City Historical Society, In memory of Mary Rawson, P.O. Box 353, Lake City, CO 81235.  Arrangements are under the direction of Crippin Funeral Home & Crematory, 802 E. Main St., Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 249-2121.

 

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