John Patrick Mikus

John Patrick Mikus born June 28, 1932 in Pueblo Colorado passed peacefully in his home in Lakewood Colorado April 29, 2019. He is survived by wife Nancy; sister Patricia (Herman) Motz; son Chris (Kay); daughter Katy Copher; grandchildren Andrew Mikus, Mikayla Mikus, Lexie Copher, Kyra Copher; many loving family members. He will be missed by many.

Interment with military honors at Ft. Logan cemetery in a private family ceremony.

Mountaineer, educator, Army Veteran, napper, poet, prairie prowler, pioneer skier, and all around good fellow, We love you Pops.

John Mikus was born and grew up in Pueblo Colorado. He loved to wander the prairie, hunting for arrowheads and rabbits with his father John Joseph and his dear lifelong friend, Hugh Wilson. John and Hugh continued to hike and fish into their 80’s. John Mikus served in an Army Special Forces Detachment, 10th Mountain division, stationed at Camp Hale during the Korean Conflict.

John received his bachelors degree in forestry from CSU and worked as a Forest Ranger for several years. He left the Forest service and returned to college to become a teacher. He taught for 15 years in the Jefferson County School District as an elementary school teacher. He particularly loved Ralston Elementary and was much loved by the community in the 1960’s where he again, mentored many, and developed lifelong admirers and friends.

John eventually left teaching and became an appraiser for Jefferson County from which he retired. John relaxed, traveled, gardened, played with his grandchildren and generally took it easy for the remainder of his life.John was extraordinarily brilliant and could speak of many subjects at great length with great accuracy. He was a poet, humorist, and a voracious digester of the written word. He had magnanimous interest in American History, archeology, science, geology, and he was a grammatical expert. His favorite charity, besides the Colorado Lottery was La Brea Indian School.