Bonnie Mueller

Bonita (Bonnie) Jan Mueller was a beautiful woman with an amazing smile, full of life and love, incredibly intelligent, deeply religious and loved by so many. On August 2, 2015, Bonnie joined God in His heavenly kingdom. She passed away with her loving husband (Ray) by her side after a courageous battle with a rare cancer. She was born on November 26, 1960 in Chicago, IL, a daughter of Florence Mueller and the late Arthur Mueller. Bonnie has one sister – Betty J. Hagenbrock. Bonita is survived by her husband Ray Luttrell of Littleton, CO and step-daughter Ashley Pearse-Luttrell of Littleton, CO; mother, Florence Mueller of Minneapolis, MN; sister, Betty J. Hagenbrock (Jim) of Minneapolis, MN; niece Julianna (Heiko) and great-niece (Kaija) of Amsterdam and nephew John (Jennifer) of Poulsbo, WA and great nephews Keith, Cameron and great-niece (Isabel Rose); mother-in-law, Consuelo Bjorklund of Albertville, AL; late father-in-law, Robert Gene Luttrell of Albertville, AL; brother-in-law, Robert B. Luttrell of San Angelo, TX; sister-in-law Ramsey Gann (Jim) of Albertville, AL; niece Keesha, Riley and nephew Ryan and many friends. Beautiful Bonita – We Love You Forever! ""If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever."" Alfred Lord Tennyson Bonnie made sure her life was full of family, friends and things she loved - to Smile, Dance, Sing, Garden, Cook, Ski, Exercise, Shop, Read, Travel, Study, Laugh, Write, Attend Church, Care/Love for family and friends, Go to Museums, Have Wine Tasting Parties and much more. She was an active member of St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church in Littleton, CO. She participated in bible study and choir. Many times, late in the work day, she would softly sing hymnal songs - practicing for her formal choir practice. Her melodious voice was heard by many! Bonnie also loved to garden. Each year she designed the layout of her raised garden beds, grew tomatoes and other vegetables from seed, watered, weeded and harvested all the vegetables. She shared bushels of vegetables and seedling plants with her friends over the years. Bonnie was very scholarly. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies (1981) and received a Master of Architecture from the University of Colorado at Denver (1986). In 1989, she received the Fulbright Scholarship to study Mountain Vernacular Architecture in former Yugoslavia. She was awarded the 1992 Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship and studied ""Industrial Heritage and Historic Preservation"" in France. Bonnie continued her studies from 1993 – 1995 at Ecole de Chaillot (Centre d'Etudes Superieures d'Histoire et de Conservation des Monuments Anciens) where she specialized in Conservation of Historic Buildings and Architectural History. Bonnie was fluent in French and also spoke four other languages too. She inherited her language skills from her Grandma Julianna and her sister also shares the family ""language skill gift"". She enjoyed discussing many subjects with her friends and family. Bonnie was an accomplished Registered Architect and Project Manager for the National Park Service-Denver Service Center/Design and Construction Branch. She joined the National Park Service in 1989, specializing in historic preservation projects for many of our country's cultural resources. Projects included work at San Juan Historical Site, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area – Alcatraz Island; Rock Creek Park - Meridian Hill Park (Multiple Phases), Georgetown Waterfront, Tennis Center, Historic Pierce Mill Restoration; Memorial Bridge War and Peace Statues, Manassas National Battlefield Park and many others. She also was actively involved with the International Council on Monuments and Sites which is dedicated to the conservation of the world's monuments and sites. She presented her work at these conferences. Bonnie was an accomplished ballroom dancer. Bonnie met Ray at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Lakewood, CO where he was giving lessons. Their weekly dance lessons turned into a life of sharing. Ray and Bonnie were married on November 6, 2004. To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch ... to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded! - Emerson Rosary, Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at Horan & McConaty, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood, CO 80227 Time: 5pm – 7 pm Viewing for Friends 7pm – 8 pm Rosary Funeral Mass, Thursday, August 13, 2015, 10:30 AM at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, 6673 West Chatfield Avenue, Littleton, CO 80128. Burial, Thursday, August 13, 2015, ~1:30 PM, Golden Cemetery, 755 Ulysses St, Golden, CO 80401 Gifts to Support the School of Architecture and Planning: Checks need be made payable to the ""University of Colorado Foundation"" and the memo line should indicate that the gift is in memory of (IMO) Bonita Mueller - Architect. They also need to be mailed to University of Colorado Denver, 1380 Lawrence Street, Suite 1325, Denver CO 80204.