Kurt Tretten Obituary

Kurt Edward Tretten, 66-years-old, passed away on July 19th, 2025.

Born September 25th, 1958, to Carol Nelson Tretten and Elmer Larson Tretten in San Francisco, California, Kurt grew up in the Bay Area along with his younger brother, Scott, and graduated high school at Miramonte High School in Orinda, California in 1976. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree from Humboldt State University in 1982, majoring in Education. While in college, Kurt spent his summers working for the Forest Service in California, where he met who would become his life partner, Mary. Kurt and Mary were married March 27, 1982 and they moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado in 1983. Over the next decade, Kurt and Mary had two children—Tyler in 1987 and Justin in 1990—and Kurt worked in the restaurant business as a franchisee, managed a ski-in restaurant on the mountain in Steamboat Springs, labored in road construction, and sold safety equipment. In 1998, Kurt earned his Colorado teaching license from Metropolitan State University in Denver. He was subsequently hired at Cimarron Elementary School in Aurora, CO, where he would remain until his retirement in 2020. Over those 22 years in public education, as a 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade teacher, Kurt inspired countless students and families, and mentored and influenced generations of educators around him. In 2004, he earned his Master of Arts in Education Administration and Supervision from the University of Phoenix.

Kurt loved nothing more than his family, but they also knew not to change the channel when sports were on, especially if it was the Colorado Avalanche. When he wasn’t teaching or the Avs weren’t in season, Kurt would spend his time listening to good music, golfing, fishing, camping, hiking, and enjoying the natural world around us all. His greatest joy in life was spending time with, and marveling at, his four grandchildren.

Kurt is survived by his wife, Mary; his mother, Carol; his brother, Scott; his sons, Tyler and Justin; his daughters-in-law, Sadie and Kristin; and his grandchildren, Brayden, Malcolm, Nora, and Isaac. He was preceded in death by his father, Elmer.

Funeral services will be on the 30th of July, 2025, at 12:00, at Horan and McConaty Funeral Home, 5303 E. County Line Rd., Centennial, CO, 80122.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made online to ALS United Rocky Mountain at http://secure.alsaco.org/goto/kurttretten.