John T. Windell

1930 - 2020

On January 8th, 2020 Dr. John T. (Jay) Windell, a long- time resident of Fort Lupton, a loving son, brother, father, uncle, grandfather, passed along on his last journey down the river of life. Jay was born April 1930 in Hessville, Indiana to Beatrice Davidson and Albert Porter Windell. He attended and graduated from Griffith High School, where he played football and basketball. He received his undergraduate degree at Indiana Central College. He was recruited by Indiana Central College for head football coach and biology professor. Jay served in the US Army medical corps for two years. Using his GI Bill he earned a Ph.D. in Zoology/Limnology at Indiana University. In 1959, he married Janet Sue (Susie) Prather and moved to Boulder, CO to become a professor at the University of Colorado, for over 30 years. Together they raised three sons; Brad, Greg, and Tim. Professionally and intellectually, Jay was fascinated by fishes, rivers and wetlands of the west bringing their web of life, and ecosystems function to the public with lectures at symposium, stakeholder meetings and many branches of government. He published over 216 scholarly papers and 3 books and co-authored many more, while finding time to write popular articles about rivers, fisheries and flyfishing. While at CU he held the largest campus lecture and became the chair of the General Biology Department. Jay went on to serve on the Water Quality Control Commission being appointed by Governor Richard Lamb. During his time on the commission, he helped in the development of the Clean Water Act standards, managed many Environmental Impact Statements, and influenced EPA rules and regulations. Jay started his own company, Aquatic and Wetland where he designed, developed and constructed projects like the restoration and re-naturalization of Boulder Creek, 4UR Ranch, Caribou Ranch, Cow Creek Ranch, Hancock Ranch, Skylark Ranch, and Orvis fly fishing ranches. Jay was a lifetime lover of rivers. He was an avid fly fisherman and by some accounts the best one to have lived. He had a passion for the outdoors; river rafting, hiking, camping, as well as swing dancing along river banks. Jay found freedom and a deep appreciation for the cycles of life on the river when rafting with friends. He rafted thousands of miles of rivers and oared the Grand Canyon 9 times on his own raft. His last river trip at age 89, was spent with his grandchildren, son, and friends, floating down the Salmon River. He was known for his storytelling, infectious laugh, and breathing life into everyone he met. The Salmon River is known as the "River of No Return" and Jay left a part of himself there on the river last summer. Jay was preceded by his father, mother, and brother Duane. He is survived by his sisters Lollie (99) and Jean (87), three sons, 5 grandchildren, 6 nephews and 2 nieces, Jay's services are to be announced. If you knew Jay on the river, we ask you to apply for river permits in his honor.