Therese LeBaron Obituary

Mary Therese Rooney LeBaron, 88, of Salida, Colorado died January 23, 2017 at home surrounded by her family after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's Disease. She died as she lived with an attitude of graciousness, thankfulness and a sense of humor.

She was born May 12, 1928, in Colorado Springs to Thomas Francis Rooney and May Elizabeth Blake and grew up on the farm that her Grandfather Daniel Rooney homesteaded in the late 1800s northeast of Colorado Springs before moving to town as a teenager. She had one sibling, Robert F. Rooney. Mary attended Forest View School, a one-room school for grades 1 thru 8 located in Black Forest. She graduated from Lewis Consolidated High School in Monument, Colorado in 1945.

Mary wanted to be a pediatric/newborn nurse, but WWII began when she was a freshman and she went to work as a Clerk-Typist at Camp Carson. Mary married Volney R. LeBaron on August 10, 1951. Mary loved being a stay-at-home mother and providing a nurturing and stable environment for her family.

Together they spent six years (1955-58 and 1959-63) in Colorado Springs, two years (1958-1959) were spent in Salida where the LeBarons resided on F Street and twenty years (1963-1984) were spent in Arvada, Colorado where they resided on 57th Avenue and Estes Street. The LeBarons bought property on K Street in Salida and moved in December 17, 1983 where they have lived for the last 33 years. Mary was a wonderful neighbor wherever she lived and cultivated her many friendships with neighbors. She was eager to assist them in their time of need. Friends and family said she knew everyone and never forgot their name or their story. Volney proceeded her death in July 2016.

Mary adored babies and children. It was shown by her being a 4-H Leader in Colorado Springs and a Teacher's Aide and Den Mother in Arvada, Colorado. She had a passion for the elderly too. She served on the organizing committee to start Arvada, Colorado Meals on Wheels in 1972 and served as the original coordinator and helped to make the program a success.



During retirement the LeBarons loved traveling in their two fifth wheels, two motorhomes and travel trailer crossing the country to visit and to help their children and grandchildren.

Mary was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. She loved her Catholic faith and was very devout in practicing it, and she had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and prayed the rosary, a tradition passed on to her by her parents.

Survivors include children, Glessna LeBaron (Ken Goecke) of Naples, Florida; Thomas LeBaron of Salida; Volney Bart LeBaron (Lori) of Salida; and Scott LeBaron of Arvada; eight grandchildren Thomas Noah LeBaron (Danielle) of Northborough, Massachusetts; Abigail LeBaron of Seattle; Sarah LeBaron Dean of San Diego; Larissa LeBaron Foster (Brandon) of Lakewood, Colorado; Lacey LeBaron of Steamboat Springs; David LeBaron Lowe (Miranda) of Dayton, Ohio; and Jessica and Joshua LeBaron of Arvada; and five great grandchildren.

Funeral Mass will be Tuesday January 31, 2017 at 11:00 AM at St. Joseph Church, Salida, Colorado. Light lunch to follow.