Ann Coburn

Annie Coburn, crossed the River, January 7th, 2023. She is on to her next great adventure. She died peacefully at home in Crested Butte CO, surrounded by her husband, children and grand children. She passed away after a 3 year battle with colon cancer, which has matastized to her liver, ovaries, lungs, and spine. She didn't just fight through her diagnosis, she lived in vibrant color and inspired countless people through her journey. Annie was born in Topeka Kansas, October 26th, 1960, to Nancy and Stanley Elofson. She was raised in Denver with her parents and younger sibilings, John, Amy, and her late brother, Philip. She met her husband and best friend, Billy, while attending the University of Colorado. They married in Tin Cup, CO in 1983 and together, started their company, Coburn Development, in their basement in 1986. She had three children, Willy, Gracie and Emma in Boulder before moving to Crested Butte in 1998, where they decided to add one more kid to the family. Joe was born 2001. Her children were her world and she was their North Star. Motherhood came naturally to her and she created a home where love, safety, adventure, comfort, fun, and family connection flowed with ease. She had an exemplary marriage, full of true, everlasting love, respect and a shared vision of the future. With Annie as their guide, she saw her three eldest children get married in 2014, 2015, and 2017. In 2016, she became a grandmother, affectionally called Grammy. Over the last seven years, August, Daisy, Stella and William were welcomed into her world and learned the family traditions she so graciously nurtured. Her warmth and skill as a home maker were matched by her fierce sense of adventure. Annie climbed all the Colorado 14ers. In her day, she was one of the best skiers and mountain bikers. She skiied the most difficult terrain with a grace and ease that only those that watched her could understand. There was really no activity or sport she didn't excel at. She had no boundaries. She had the joy of spending the last 10 years watching and supporting her daughter Emma's pursuit of a professional running career. Emma won a gold, silver, and bronze medal, all with Annie by her side. She enjoyed every minute of this exceptional experience (except for the very tense nine minutes of every race). She was an elegant and endless host to so many. Both at home and in her cabin in Tin Cup, she welcomed generations of family and friends, proving that the Annie Coburn method of life is one where all are welcome, all are well fed, and, most importantly, everyone felt her spirit of generosity. She was widely recognized as a phenomenal cook and someone that could create magic out of the most banal evenings. She was funny, witty, glamorous, classy, and warm. She positively impacted so many lives. Her imprint on those that loved her will well outlive her 62 years. She was a force. She is survived by her husband, Billy, her children Willy, Gracie, Emma, and Joe, her children-in-law, Katherine Coburn, Carey Willette, and Joe Bosshard, her grandchildren August, Daisy, Stella, and William, her parents Stan and Nancy Elofson, her sibilings Amy Simpson and John Elofson, and her father in law, William Coburn. In some of Annie's final words, she left us with this wisdom and reflection on her life, "Let's all be grateful for what we have been given in this incredible life, not what we are 'losing'. No one here is losing anything. We have has the privilege of enjoying life. Make the most of yours! Everyday it is up to us to make that happen." In lieu of flowers, should friends desire, contributions can be made in Annie's honor to Living Journeys Community Cancer Support, livingjourneys.org.