Category: "Ram Family"

In memory: Jay Melvin Hughes

March 16, 2015

Jay Melvin Hughes, former Dean and Professor of the College of Forestry and Natural Resources at Colorado State University, from 1977 through 1991, passed away on March 2, after a short illness. After leaving CSU he went on to pursue humanitarian assignments through ACDI/VOCA and Winrock International which included planning, evaluation, development and leadership of programs in Honduras, Bolivia, Panama, Nepal, Bhutan, Uganda, Sudan and Tajikistan. He was team leader of the forestry evaluation during a National Academy of Sciences review of natural resources programs in Nepal. He led the analysis of forestry research in Bhutan and prepared recommendations for program improvements and research staff training. He analyzed program needs and developed and implemented the plan for a new Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Biology at the Escuela Agricola Panamericana, the premier agricultural school of Latin America, at Zamorano, Honduras. He also served on its Board of Trustees for eight years. In Bolivia, over a period of nine years, he led the redesign of a new environmental research and technology transfer institute, developed research planning and proposal preparation guides, reviewed and recommended curriculum changes and assisted in strategic planning in agriculture and forestry at four universities and large agricultural research and technology transfer organizations. In Panama he assisted a private foundation to develop a strategic plan with a focus on establishing a new high school featuring agro-forestry; he worked with three non-profits in Uganda and with the Ministry of Agriculture of Western Bahr El Ghazal Province in Sudan to develop strategic plans for agricultural development and eco-tourism. He assisted water users association in Yangiobod, Tajikistan to develop a proposal for refurbishing a drinking water system. Jay is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Mary Lou; and is lovingly remembered by his daughters, Anne McClester of Aurora and Laura Williams (Hank) of Loveland; his grandsons Heath Jay (Jesse) of Gillette, Wyoming, Hunter Williams of Loveland; his granddaughter Kimberly Dubensky (Christopher) of Streetsboro, Ohio; and his great granddaughter Emma Dubensky. Services will be held at 2 p.m. April 11 at Parkview United Congregational Church, 12444 East Parkview Drive, Aurora. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the Aurora History Museum or Parkview United Congregational Church.

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In memory: Donald Crews

March 13, 2015

Donald L. Crews, 79, of Fort Collins, died March 8, after a short illness. Don was born on Dec. 8, 1935, in Culbertson, Nebraska, to Paul and Vera (Spence) Crews. He attended public schools in Culbertson, graduating in a class of 23 students. He received a bachelor's degree in forest utilization from Colorado State University, a master's degree in forest products from Michigan State University and a doctorate in wood products engineering from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University.donald crews obit In 1959, Don was married to Roberta Atkinson. To this marriage, three children were born: James, Thomas and Gail. Don and Roberta later divorced. Don and Diane Jones were married in 1976. Don was a member of the faculty of the Department of Forest Sciences in the College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University for 36 years. He retired in 1999 as associate professor emeritus. For 15 years, he served as assistant dean of the college, where he coordinated their undergraduate and summer employment programs. Don was an excellent recruiter and the enrollment of the college was at its highest during his tenure in the dean's office. Don was active in Fort Collins local government. He served eight years on the city planning and zoning board (two as chairman), four years on the Larimer County Urban Growth Area Review Board (one as chairman), and was a member of the West Side Neighborhood Planning Committee. Don always treasured his small town heritage. In 2003, he wrote a successful proposal to FEMA to acquire a new $250,000 fire engine for his hometown (pop. 596). Don loved going to his family "hunting lodge" (Crews Farms) in Nebraska to hunt pheasants, quail, and turkeys. Accompanied by family members and friends, he always described these outings as "a few days of hunting, watching college and pro football games, telling great jokes, eating lots of red meat and drinking good whiskey and wine." In addition to hunting, he enjoyed his many hiking trips to England with Diane, traveling (as of 2010, he had spent at least one night in all 50 states), cooking, working at the National Western Stock Show, Colorado Rockies baseball, and golfing. During his retirement, he volunteered at the Larimer County Food Bank, as a driver for SAINT, and at the Colorado Welcome Center. He was an active member of the Poudre Golden K Kiwanis Club for many years, serving as its president in 2010-2011, and he enjoyed the camaraderie of a group of friends who met every Wednesday morning for breakfast. He is survived by his wife, Diane; brother, Tom (Jan) of Federal Way, Washington, and Scottsdale, Arizona; son, Jim (Jan) and grandchildren, Ashley and Kiley of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Boulder; son Tom, (Brenda) and grandchildren, Tommy and McKenna of Loveland; daughter, Gail (Michael) Berkery and grandchildren, Abigail and Ethan of Golden; and stepson, Sean (Beverly) Jones and grandchildren, Meredith and Cooper of Golden. At Don's request, and in lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University to support the Crews Family Scholarship for Pingree Park. Cremation has taken place and his remains will be scattered at a favorite spot at a later date. Friends and associates are invited to join the family at a wake from 4-6 p.m. on a date to be announced later, at the Fort Collins Senior Center, 1200 Raintree Drive, for fellowship, sharing of memories, and partaking of some adult beverages and munchies.

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