Agnes A. Riffel

Agnes A. (Carlock) Riffel, died at Four Corners Health Care Center in Durango, CO on February 25, 2006, with Jan and Terrie, two of her daughters, at her side. Agnes was 81 years old and for the past five months she has waged a valiant battle against kidney cancer. With loving care and support from her four daughters and their families and from her friends and from Hospice, Agnes has been able to increase and nurture her own inner strength to live each day to the fullest. Agnes, born September 22, 1924 in Parks, NE, was the first daughter of William I. Carlock and Rita Marianne (Marren) Carlock. She was raised with five younger sisters and one older cousin on ranches in and around Wray, CO. She attended the country elementary school through 4th grade and then attended schools in Wray through high school, graduating from Wray H.S. in 1942. In high school, Agnes really loved sports, especially basketball and tennis. She was one of the first 3 girls at Wray H.S. to letter (tennis). Agnes received a scholarship to attend nursing school at Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Denver, CO. She began studying there in January of 1944 and graduated in January of 1947 as a Registered Nurse. In her nearly 40 year nursing career she worked mainly at Mercy Hospital in Denver, but also at National Jewish Hospital in Denver and St. Joe's Hospital in Albuquerque. Agnes worked in the OR, ICU, and as a head nurse and charge nurse. She retired from Mercy Hospital at the end of May 1986. In the fall of 1947, Agnes met a handsome WWII Navy veteran from Kansas, Ray Wilford Riffel, who was in his sophomore year at the University of Denver. They became engaged in March 1948 and married July 22, 1948. Agnes continued to work as Ray worked 3 part time jobs while completing his BA degree in the following year and a half. Their marriage was blessed with four lovely daughters, Yvonne (Vonnie) 1949, Theresa (Terrie) 1951, Cheryl (Cheri Lou) 1956, and Janice (Jannie Rae) 1958. During the first few years of marriage, Agnes took time away from nursing now and then to raise her children and to be very involved in their activities'""from Girl Scouts, to church activities, to sporting events, etc. She was always there to help, to coach, to listen, to scold, to encourage and to comfort. She was pro-active, involved, caring, friendly, and a take-charge woman. Agnes was a people person who just didn't know a stranger. She was a very opinionated person and she was not shy in sharing her opinions. And, of course, because of her combined Irish and German heritage, she was one headstrong stubborn woman as well. Agnes lived in Denver from 1944 to 1953. She then moved to Albuquerque in 1953 when Ray was transferred there. Their family moved back to Denver in 1956 where she continued to live until 1999. That year Agnes moved to Bayfield, CO to be near her youngest daughter and son-in-law and four grandchildren. During the first 20 years or so of marriage and child-rearing, Agnes was always able to help any of her sisters and their family members who needed her, whether it was taking her own children along with her to stay with an ill sister, or to care for someone who was hospitalized or who was recuperating from surgery. She also made a point to be there'""to help out and to simply comfort anyone who was in need. Agnes served her family in the greatest sense of the word all her life. Those who knew her admired, respected, and loved her very much. In August 1969 Agnes' beloved Ray died suddenly. Her husband and best friend was gone (but just physically). For Agnes maintained that Ray was with her and helped her very often during the following 36 years. Ever since Ray's death she summoned from the depths of her great faith and strength and courage to go in life and to continue to nurture and lover her family'""her entire family. During her life, Agnes displayed to everyone that she possessed quite a wit and sense of humor. She really did love a good joke and was very quick with the comebacks'""and was always quick with a smile. She had a passion for dancing, playing tennis, traveling, and reading, especially historical books and novels. Agnes loved watching baseball and football, attending any event possible involving her children and grandchildren. Agnes was preceded in death by her husband Ray, her parents, her sisters Margie Carlock, Alice Pauline Pettinger, Geraldine (Jerry) Finn, her brothers-in-law Clarence Pettinger, Hubert Finn, Joe Davis, Ed Riffel, Herschel Shockey, and sister-in-law Ella Mae Kline. She is survived by her daughters Yvonne Brown and son-in-law Terry K. Brown of Rapid City, SD; Theresa Riffel and son-in-law John Menke of Denver; Cheryl Hogue of San Jose, CA; and Janice Harriman and son-in-law Garry Harriman of Bayfield, CO. Agnes is also survived by her grandchildren Stephanie Scales and her husband Webb of Brookline, NH; Randy Brown of Rapid City, SD; Landon Riffel-Menke and Geoff Riffel-Menke both of Denver; Alisha Coley and her husband Brandon, Brian Scholz, Garrett and Brittney Harriman all of Bayfield, CO. She is survived by her four great grandchildren: Cordelia (age 4) and Liam (age 21 mo) Scales of Brookline, NH; Jana Ladner (age 6) and Ethan Coley (age 17 mo) of Bayfield. In addition, Agnes is survived by sisters Elaine Davis of El Paso, TX, and Billie Lindsey and her husband Jim of Wray, CO; by sisters-in-law Rena Riffel of Denver, Evelyn Shockey of Jasper, MO, Rita Riffel of Pensacola, FL, and brother-in-law Bob Kline of NJ, along with many nieces and nephews.