Barbara Worthen

Our mom, Barbara Jean Elliott Dodds-Scott Worthen, passed away peacefully on August 21, 2020 - 2 weeks shy of her 92nd Birthday.

Some people knew Mom from Rifle, Glenwood or Denver but probably don't really know much about her. I want to tell you a little about the Mom we knew you won't see in an obituary.

She was born and raised in Rifle and lived there until she and my Dad, Bill Dodds-Scott, were married. She spent most of their marriage living in Glenwood where all of us kids grew up.
Mom was a "stay at home mom", which doesn't really fit her at all.  She played piano beautifully - her favorite kinds of music to play were boogie woogie, big band and ragtime.

She was bookkeeper for the coal business, then later the garbage hauling business she and my dad owned. When needed Mom also drove one of the trash trucks, loading the big trash barrels herself. She also took in ironing to make ends meet along with being a relief mailman when our regular mailman was sick or on vacation. She worked part time at Alsbury Sales Barn on auction day.

Mom was always there for anything having to do with Glenwood's Boy Scout troop 225. Dad may have been the Scout Master but Mom was just as much a part of it. She was there helping for every court of honor, OA tap out, setting up summer camp at Sylvan Lake, moving boys to and from the 50 mile survival hikes, etc.. She worked in the concession boy scout concession stand at the the rodeo  Strawberry Days. She also worked at the boy scout cabin up Bulldog creek. At one point she took over an Explorer (I think that is what it was called) group of Boy Scouts.

Her life with my dad was not an easy one.  She spent a lot of time as a buffer between Dad and us kids.  She finally divorced Dad and moved to Denver.  There she met my Step-Dad, Bill Worthen. They were married for about 26-27 years until Bill passed away. Mom was finally happy and content.  There was so much love and laughter in their house.

Mom was so much more that what most people knew but I guess the most important thing was that she loved her family more than anything.  She told the Hospice nurse a couple of days before she passed that she wasn't ready to go because she "Couldn't leave her kids".

Mom, I love you so much and wish you could have stayed longer, but, you are finally get to be with "Little Bill" again. You've waited a very long 44 years to see your son again.

You and BIll Worthen are happy to be together again laughing and being happy.

I love you Mom.

A private family service will be held.