Marjorie Grace Minton

Marjorie Grace Minton
October 30, 1921-December 30, 2019

Marjorie (Quanz) Minton was born in Glade Kansas on October 30, 1921, the third child of Herbert Eugene Quanz and Ada (Chester) Quanz. Her childhood was spent on a farm overlooking the Solomon River where she walked across fields to attend Glade elementary school. She knew early in life she wanted to be a teacher and loved school. Despite the great depression, her parents sacrificed to buy a piano and she started playing at age 9. Music remained a passion throughout her life.

She attended Phillipsburg high school where she played basketball along with chorus, band and piano lessons. Because the high school was 6 miles from home, she lived with her grandmother and other friends' homes during the week and home for the weekends. In 1939 she left home to attend Colorado Woman's College in Denver, an experience she described as ""the most exciting and wonderful place to continue my education that could be imagined"". She graduated in 1941 with an Associate in Fine Arts Degree and continued to be active in the CWC alumni association.

Her teaching career began in the small town of New Raymer, Colorado where she taught first grade as well as music for the entire school. Her mixed chorus won a superior rating in the state contest. After World War ll started, she moved to Denver to do secretarial work for the US government. She took night classes in French and met her future husband at the University of Denver. She moved to Liberal Kansas to teach elementary school music for a year, and then returned to University of Colorado to finish her Bachelor of Music Education degree. Albert Lee Minton graduated from Denver University at the same time as Marjorie graduated from CU and they were married the next day, June 9. 1949.

With a loan from Marjorie's parents, they moved to their longtime home near downtown Denver. Marjorie started teaching in Wheatridge Colorado for 3 years then taught elementary school music for 20 years in Adams County. She was an active member of Alpha Delta Kappa, a music teacher sorority, and served as president 1972 to 1974 and again from 1998 to 2000. She also served as state music chairman in 1976 and 1984. In addition to being an accomplished pianist, she played in the White Chapel Bell Choir with her dear friend Millie Pletcher.

Marjorie and Albert had 2 sons, James and Gregory, born in 1951 and 1954. She continued to teach while raising children and having a busy social life. She enjoyed outdoor activities such as camping, hiking and swimming as well as cooking and traveling. She had an appreciation of nature which she passed on to her children.

After the death of Albert in 2010, she moved into a home in Parker, Colorado with her closest niece Jnell. By this time in life they both had significant handicaps, Jnell with residuals of a stroke and Marjorie with early stages of dementia. Together they managed to support each other and have a good life. After Jnell's death in 2017, Marjorie was able to stay in her home with the dedicated help of Renee Passmore.

Marjorie is survived by her extended family including her son James with his wife Inga (Martinez) and their children Noah and Mira, and Gregory with his wife Sandra (Johnson) and their children McClain, Montana and Kyle and Tristan by his first wife Krystal (Kelley). Great grandchildren include Claire, Alexander and Lucy (Noah and wife Emily (Comstock)), and Sekoya and Aurora (Mira and husband Jace Nelson) as well as Eva and Emma (Tristan and wife Beth (Carchietta)). Her surviving Kansas relatives include nephew Robert Quanz and with wife Shirley, their children Tina, Terry, Rod and Roberta, and niece and nephew Arloa (Quanz) Murphy and Barry Quanz. .

Marjorie is preceded in death by her parents and older brothers, Everett and Clarence and her husband of 61 years, Albert Lee Minton.

Funeral Service Saturday, January 4, 2020, 2:00 pm, Horan & McConaty, 5303 East County Line Road, Centennial, CO 80122. Entombment Monday, January 6, 2020, 11:00 am, Crown Hill Cemetery.

Funeral Service: January 4, 2020 2:00 pm

Horan & McConaty - South Metro/Centennial
5303 E County Line Rd
Centennial, CO 80122

Graveside Service: January 6, 2020 11:00 am

Crown Hill Cemetery
7777 W. 29th Ave.
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033