Jack Clanin

Ansel John (Jack) Clanin passed away from a late stage cancer diagnosis, on September 18th, at home with his family members at his bedside. He was 81, born on August 6, 1943. Jack was the youngest of four children of Dr. James O. Clanin and Agatha Clanin and a Colorado resident all of his life. He was born and grew up in Limon. He raised his own family and also retired in Limon. Jack attended Colorado State College in Greeley on a football scholarship, and later continued his education at CU extension in Denver. As a result of his father’s death, Jack decided to leave college and return home for the remainder of the year to help care for his mother. Upon returning to college in Greeley he asked Cheryl Sinn, a classmate from LHS, out on a date. Fifty-eight years later they were still each other’s love. As fate would have it, a job offer at Mountain View Electric Association was what brought them back to Limon in 1970. Jack worked for Mountain View for 35 years before retiring in 2005. 

Faith, family, friends, food, football and fishing all come to mind when thinking about Jack. He was a devoted Catholic, and was an active member in the church community from caring for the grounds around the church, to teaching religious education and participating in the Knights of Columbus. Jack could easily make a friend with his fun loving spirit and slapstick way of getting a laugh. He treasured time spent with his close friends, many of which were classmates from Limon High School. Still, sixty plus years later, Jack was part of “the coffee group.” They would plan ahead to get a date on the calendar to get together from miles around so that they could talk and laugh for hours and reminisce about good times of the past. Of course Badger athletics was of high interest for Jack. Once an alumni, Jack enjoyed volunteering at track meets, attended countless games as a spectator and received the Honorary Alumni Award in 2003. Many weekends in the fall, you would find Jack either attending football games or in his recliner looking for Bronco, Buffs, Rams and Bears games and scores. He never passed up a good T-bone steak. Jack never ever passed up a fishing trip with great friends. He enjoyed camping with family in the Rocky Mountains and traveled with Cheryl to many places outside of the USA. He was giving of his time to help anyone in need. Jack was a volunteer at the Heritage Museum, a member of the Lions Club, delivered food for the local food bank, and on occasion would find fun in vacuuming the local swimming pool. 

Caring for his family was the core of his being. He was blessed with three children and four grandsons. Jack was loved so much and will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He was truly a gift. He is preceded in death by his parents, and his sister Dorothy Jane., and is survived by his wife of 58 years, Cheryl; daughter, Kim (Kurt) and their sons, Steven and John; son Jay (Kimberly) and Jays sons, Evan and Mitchell; son Scott (Montez); brother James (Sally); sister Sara Freeman (Bill).