Kay Harvey

Kay was born in LaHarpe, Kansas, to proud parents, Bobby and Ellen Blevins on July 28, 1948; her twin sister, Fay, clearing the way for her just minutes before! The family including older brothers, Jim and Frank, the twin girls and Mom and Dad moved to Denver, Colorado in 1949. There, Kay graduated from North High School in 1966. 

After high school, she went right to work for Federal Envelope as a machine operator where she met Ralph, the love of her life and husband of more than 52 1⁄2 years. Kay and Ralph were inseparable right from the start. Despite the love‐struck look in her eyes, Kay learned her new job quickly and later went on to become one of the best printing and engraving press operators. She worked tirelessly for companies like Autrey Brothers, Jostens, Curtis 1000, and Harper Engraving where she rounded out her 35‐year printing and engraving career. 

Kay and Ralph were married on October 7, 1967, and moved to Commerce City, Colorado, where they lived for 37 years. She was instantly blessed with a daughter, Pamela, who was 3 years old at the time, from Ralph’s first marriage. In 1969, Kay and Ralph had another daughter, SuzAnne, and then a son, Steven, in 1975. Kay and Ralph raised the kids to be loyal, honest, independent, and hard‐working. She was so proud of her family and would tell anyone who would listen about her son and two daughters, her 9 grandchildren and 4 great‐grandchildren. 

Family, friends and fun were the foundation of Kay’s life outside of work. Everywhere Kay would go, people were drawn to her and her larger than life personality. She’s never met a stranger ‐ always welcoming, generous, and friendly to everyone. To know her was to love her. Whether you met her while square dancing or bowling, at the softball field, Elks Club, on the Farm, or at Jackson Lake or one of the multitudes of lakes and campgrounds she frequented; you know that if you met Kay once and she got a chance to talk to you, she considered you family from that point on. She was tough as nails on the outside; but, inside, she was soft, loving, and compassionate. She was brave and zealous about what she believed in, outgoing, entertaining, sensitive, and generous. 

Kay loved escaping the suburbs and getting out of town. Kay, Ralph and the kids enjoyed spending time at the lakefront property at Jackson Lake near Weldona, Colorado. She and Ralph owned 3 lots along with her brother and sister‐in‐law, Jim and Virginia “Tilly” Blevins, and her sister and brother‐in‐law, Fay and Larry Jacobson. Jackson Lake was the entire family’s home away from home for 25 years, providing so many wonderful memories water‐skiing and boating, swimming, and camp fires. Nearly every weekend, holiday, and summer vacation from 1972 through 1997 was spent with the big extended family at Jackson Lake, plus all of the hundreds of friends, relatives, and visitors who spent time with Kay and the family at Jackson Lake. 

Kay and Ralph didn’t live to work; they worked in order to live life to the fullest. Kay and Ralph’s love of people, fun, and the outdoors brought such joy to their lives and to the lives of so many people they’ve met over the years. Throughout her entire life, Kay has enjoyed her favorite activities including, bowling, fishing, camping, hiking, 4‐wheeling, hunting, square dancing, horse shoes, camp fires, and Denver Broncos football! With Ralph by her side, Kay didn’t care if she was pitching a tent on the side of a remote wide spot in the forest, with water from an overnight rising river seeping into the tent, or if she was camping out of a fully loaded 5th wheel trailer in a full‐service campground within an hour from home. She was game for anything and was good at it all, and she wasn’t about to be outdone by anyone – not even her own husband! As a matter of fact, after being beat out by Ralph in fishing at Laramie Lake, Kay became the fish catching champion from then on – usually catching the most and the biggest, while letting Ralph catch the first. 

Throughout Kay and Ralph’s marriage, they have been drawn to the vast number of places to go in Colorado; however, they discovered a little mountain community just beyond the south end of the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park that stole their hearts. This place that is called Texas Creek became Kay and Ralph’s retirement destiny. They purchased land, added a home, garage and out buildings, and spent several years preparing it for their retirement. 

In 2004, Kay and Ralph left the big city life behind for good and moved to Texas Creek/Cotopaxi, Colorado, for the peaceful living, clear mountain air and a stellar view of the Sangre de Christo Mountain Range. Here, they have been blessed with countless visitors, precious friendships with surrounding neighbors, and spending time with each other ‐ best friends forever and ever. Hardly a day went by that Kay and Ralph weren’t together; and during those times apart, they would call each other and talk on the phone nearly every day. If Ralph had to hike beyond the timberline to the top of the mountain to get a phone signal strong enough to talk to Kay, that’s exactly what he’d do. 

There’s a bond between them that can never be broken, no matter the distance between them. They are like a couple of lovebirds, together for life. This is not the end of their love story or of our family’s time with Kay. She will be with each of us, no matter where we are; encouraging us with her beauty and vibrancy. If you look close, you will find Kay’s spirit and energy represented in many ways. She may be in the beautiful flowers that bloom, the hummingbirds or butterflies that land nearby, in a sunrise or 

sunset, in a shooting or shining star, in the eyes or facial expression of a loved one, or on the Broncos sideline during the games (she’ll be the one telling the coach what play should be next). 

Kay is survived by her husband, Ralph, her daughters, Pam (Dave Lepus) and SuzAnne (John Garcia), her son, Steven, her twin sister, Fay Jacobson, her brother, Jim Blevins (Virginia “Tilly”), her grandchildren, Phillip Garcia (Bianca), Kyle Lepus, Brandon Garcia, Joshua Lepus, Jacob Lepus, Dominique Harvey, Zachary Lepus, Daniel Harvey, and Michelle Garcia, her great‐grandchildren, Sophia and Scarlett LaRiviere‐Garcia, and Amara Garcia, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. 

Kay is preceded in death by her mother, Ellen, father, Bobby, brother, Frank, her granddaughter, Brooke Garcia and her great‐granddaughter, Evelyn LaRiviere‐Garcia. 

Kay loved life and it seems we all have a story or two to share about her ‐ most of them funny enough to make tears run down your leg! Kay always left you with a memorable moment. If you have stories you would like to share, please send these to us at mychewie2020@gmail.com. We are putting together a collection of stories about Kay. You can also record and send a video or audio file telling the story or stories. We hope to collect a bunch, and share them with all the people who knew and loved Kay.

Visitation to be held on Wednesday June 24, 2020 from 11am-1pm at Harwood Funeral Home at 516 N 10th Street, Canyon City, CO 81212.  
There will be a Celebration of Life following the Viewing at Ralph and Kay's home 926 Tumbleweed Dr, Cotopaxi, CO 81223

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