Charlene Kay Ricci

Loving and beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, friend and neighbor. After a 27-year battle with heart disease, her life on earth ended early in the morning of May 21st. Kay was born in Polson, Montana and raised and educated through high school in the nearby community of Ronan. She was a 1964 graduate of the University of Montana majoring in education and business administration and in 1977 earned her MA degree in counseling from Denver University. She and her husband Francis Ricci of nearly 51 years moved to the Denver area in 1967. She was a teacher at Denver's East High School and Abraham Lincoln High School until retiring to give birth in May 1977 to and raising her only child, Dianna Kay Ricci Gibson. She is survived by her husband, daughter, son-in-law Trevor and granddaughter Olivia of Charlottesville, VA, younger brothers Billy, Dale and Larry Henderson and their families. In accordance with her wishes, arrangements have been made for cremation of her remains. A memorial service will be conducted at a time and location to be determined. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the American Heart Association in Kay's name would be appreciated.