Stanley Sours

Stan Sours, 70, passed away on January 31, 2006, at St. Joseph's Hospital. Mr. Sours was born in a two room log cabin on his grandfather's cattle ranch near Rifle, Colorado during a snow storm on November 6, 1935. He attended a one room country school and for several years rode a horse to school. He graduated from Rifle High School in 1953 and following high school served in the U.S. Marine Corps for three years. He attended Mesa College and then worked on several newspapers and a television station in Colorado and Missouri. He began working for Mountain Bell Telephone Company in 1967, retiring from U S WEST in 1991 as the company's Director of Government Relations. Following his retirement, he formed his own government relations company and represented such companies as U S WEST; Qwest Communications; Associated Builders and Contractors; Williams Energy Company; Anschutz Company; Wembley, USA; Colorado Horse Council; Colorado River Water Conservation District, and others. He closed his company operations in 2002 due to health problems. Stan was active with the horse industry and the agricultural community. He received many awards for his dedication to the horse industry and in 2002 was named Top Hand of the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo for his volunteer work. He served on the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Advisory Board for 21 years, was a member of the board of directors of the Continental Divide Trail Alliance, and was a member of the board of directors of the Colorado Horse Park. He was a member of the board of directors of the Roundup Riders of the Rockies and a member of the Colorado Horse Council, the National Western Association, and the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce. Stan met and married his wife, Betty Sullivan, in Grand Junction in 1959 and they had two daughters, Vyonne and Shirlene (Scott Foster). In addition to his wife and daughters, Stan is survived by five granddaughters; Ashley and Meghan Grady, Victoria, Kelsey and Melissa Foster, and a nephew, Rod Zang, his wife, Vickie and their children Kaylea, Coy, and Cole. His parents, Harold and Bertha, and a sister, Shirley, preceded him in death. Memorial services will be held 11:00 AM Saturday at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd. in Lakewood. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to be sent to: Roundup Riders of the Rockies Heritage and Trails Foundation, 1733 S. Uinta Way, Denver, CO 80231. www.horanandmcconaty.com