Linda Kay Wellman Lewis

Linda K. (Wellman) Lewis, 78, passed away on November 25th at her home in Arvada, Colorado. Linda grew up in Walsh, Colorado, the only child of Elma (Trahern) and Clifford Wellman. She graduated from Walsh High School with the Class of 1965. She attended Southern Colorado State College before transferring to the University of Colorado Boulder, where she played alto saxophone in both the orchestra and the elite jazz band. Her lifelong love of music was evident in everything she did. After graduating, Linda remained in the Denver area and built an impressive and varied career. She worked for several attorneys, including George W. Boland and the firm Holland & Hart, before joining Placid Oil, where she became their first female Landman -an achievement she regarded with great pride. She later served as a floor manager at Bullwackers Casino and Fortune Valley Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado. Following her retirement, Linda loved traveling with her husband, Jim-whom she fondly introduced as her "first husband," just to hear him jokingly reply, "Hey, you say that like there will be more!" They especially treasured their visits with family in Colorado Springs, Illinois, and Florida. At home, they spent countless hours outdoors- hiking, relaxing on their patio, working on puzzles, and watching the hummingbirds that visited daily. Everyone who knew Linda knew she was a force to be reckoned with-rarely without something to say. She was fiercely independent, strong-willed, outspoken, and gifted with a quick-witted sense of humor. What Linda valued most were her faith, her family, her friends, and her music. She deeply cherished her husband, his family, and her own cousins-whom she treated more like siblings-as well as their children and grandchildren, whose lives she so thoroughly loved being part of. Linda was a faithful churchgoer, even if that sometimes meant tuning in via Zoom or YouTube. She participated in various prayer groups and was especially grateful for her beloved "Prayer Warriors," who supported her throughout her life and during her illness. Linda is survived by her devoted husband of 18 years, Jim Lewis; Jim's children, Travis (Julie), Matthew, and Angela; grandchildren, J.C., Xavier, and Karissa; and her many cousins on both the Trahern and Wellman sides of the family, including Betty Trahern, Terry (Paul) Bass, Gail Frost, Sherry (Chris) Kunze, Debbie (Skip) Lloyd, Larry (Judy) Trahern, Charlene Falk, Connie (Chris) Potter, Johnnie Falk, Kathy Starkebaum, Stan Stults, Kelly King, Kenton (Sandy) Dykes, and Carla Hair. Linda's larger-than-life presence will be deeply missed by all who knew her and forever cherished by all who loved her.