Don Kiick Obituary

Don U. Kiick was a native Coloradoan, born in Kutch (Ramah), Colorado on August 30, 1921, the only child of Henry L. and Katherine Kundla Kiick, and passed away on November 30, 2012 at the age of 91. He married his wife of 61 years, Gloria Cook, on August 31, 1951. They had a son and a daughter, Don H. Kiick and Shelley L. Weber. Don enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 and was a member of the 487 Bombardment Group, serving as the engineer on the crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress stationed in Lavenham, England during WWII. Don spent his career as a plumber, working on the construction of many of the large, commercial buildings in Colorado Springs. Don was an extremely talented craftsman, woodworker, and carver, building everything from highchairs for his grandchildren to birdhouses. He loved antique tools, new tools, tractors, and all new technology; he could build or repair anything. He loved to camp and travel, and passed that love on to his children and grandchildren while traveling extensively with them. His RV adventures took him from Mexico beaches to Alaska to Newfoundland and Labrador and everywhere in between. He and Gloria also purchased a small ranch in the mountains near the Colorado / New Mexico border where their family and friends could have a private retreat. Don was a huge CC Tiger hockey fan and season ticket holder, attending games for over 40 years from when they played at the old World Arena to last season when he was 90. He was a positive and optimistic person with a broad range of interests, and always enjoyed learning and keeping up with how things worked and what was going on in the world. Above all, he loved his family. He was a faithful, loyal, and devoted husband, a patient and caring father, and an absolutely fantastic grandfather. He was a kind, honest, and gentle soul who spent countless hours reading to them, playing with them, and was endlessly proud of their every accomplishment. His son-in-law and daughter-in-law meant the world to him, and he loved and admired them both. He was a man of integrity and faith, and anyone whose life he touched was better for it. He was a past Master of Tejon Masonic Lodge #104. Don is survived by his wife, Gloria, his daughter Shelley Weber and her husband Steve, his son Don H. Kiick and his wife Kim, and his beloved grandchildren, Heather K. Weber, Don Victor Kiick, David A. Kiick, and Katherine T. Kiick, all of Colorado Springs. Visitation will be held from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 6, 2012, followed by funeral services at 10:00 a.m. at Swan-Law Chapel, 501 N. Cascade Ave. Burial will follow at Ramah Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pikes Peak Hospice. "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss