Ralph A Kreitler

Ralph Anthony Kreitler died August 2, 2024, at his home in Greeley, CO, just one day after celebrating his 60th wedding anniversary with his beautiful wife, Jolene. He was 81 years old.
Ralph was born April 23,1943 in Quinter, Kansas. He grew up working on a half section farm in South Eastern Kansas near Bush City. He was the youngest of eight brothers and sisters living in a small farmhouse without running water. His family was one of the first outside of town to receive electricity in 1949.
He enjoyed playing with his nephews and nieces, who happened to be of similar age, when they came to visit. Rabbit and squirrel hunting were favorite pastimes when the farm work was completed, along with swimming in the creek. He attended the two-room Bush City Grade School and was elected senior class president while at Garnett High School. He attended Benedictine College and Fort Hays State University earning a degree in business accounting. He later completed graduate studies in banking at the University of Colorado.
The love of his life was Jolene Staab, whom he met while attending college. They married August 1, 1964, at St Joseph's Catholic Church in Hays, Kansas. In their early years, Ralph owned and managed three drive-in restaurants in Grand Island and Fremont, Nebraska giving him an appreciation for the challenges a small business owner faces.
In 1973, Norm Dean, President of United Bank, hired Ralph to join his team in Colorado. Ralph, Jolene and their three daughters, Christine, Laura, and Amy headed West. Their youngest daughter, Jennifer, was born two years later.
He dedicated his career to helping his business customers prosper and succeed. He was tremendously involved and personally invested in the community. Ralph retired from Wells Fargo in 2005 after 36 years in banking to focus full-time on the joys of family, as well as his community and church volunteer work. He loved to pray, read scripture, and attend daily mass. He enjoyed coffee with his friends discussing any number of topics like the readings or what Heaven might be like.
He believed it was important to be of service. He was a commissioner on the Greeley Urban Renewal Authority for 5 years; served as member of Weld/Larimer Loan Committee. He was president of Weld County Home Builders; a member of Greeley Centennial Rotary Club, serving as treasurer in 1985. He taught finance classes at Aims Community College and religious classes at St. Mary Catholic Church. He served as a board member for Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Denver from 2011-2017 and as co-chair of the capitol campaign raising money to build the Guadalupe Homeless Shelter. He was president of St Mary Parish Council; an organizer and president of Greeley Area Habitat for Humanity; president of the Greeley Optimist Club; Grand Knight for the Knights of Columbus Council 2160 and both chairman and secretary/treasurer for the Farm Labor Housing Corporation and 30-year board member. He enjoyed serving as a lector and eucharistic minister at St Mary Catholic Church for over 50 years.
He was very proud of his daughters and loved his growing family, welcoming in Rick Mellin, Marc Gustafson, Bridger Parsons, and Jeanne Johnston. He was full of life, love, faith, encouragement -- and humor, never one to pass up an opportunity to make someone laugh or smile. He was a life-long learner himself, instilling in his children a love of knowledge and a sense of curiosity. When the kids were young, he'd open the dictionary at dinner to introduce a "word of the day." On summer vacations, the family enjoyed museums as much as they did theme parks. He taught his daughters to be tenacious and work hard, particularly in the face of adversity. A favorite principle of his was 'The old P.P. -- prayer and persistence. Works every time!', he'd say.
Ralph was a kid at heart, so naturally he delighted in his grandchildren who will miss him dearly: Josh and Kathryn, Jack and Charlie, and Adalai, Matthew, and Brianna. He loved carting them around in the wheelbarrow, building fires together, making hot chocolate in the morning, looking at coins, playing pinochle, target shooting and letting them launch model airplanes off the house roof.
Wanderlust and adventure inspired Ralph and Jolene to take many trips over the years. Whether he was tent camping in the Ozarks, piloting a prop airplane to Vegas, motor home vacationing to the World's Fair in Knoxville, TN, digging for clams in Vancouver, BC, drinking a stein of beer in Belgium, Eurail-ing through France, gazing at artistic masterpieces at the Vatican in Rome, sailing on the Loch Ness in Scotland, cruising through the Panama Canal, standing in the River Jordan in the Holy Land, motor cycling with Jolene to historical hotels in Colorado or across the Midwest in search of genealogy, or playing in the surf with his grandkids in Mexico; Ralph savored it all.
Ralph was genuinely interested in people and their lives. He somehow made everyone feel they were the most important person in the room. He loved to share delicious food and great wine. He was kind and charitable in word and deed. By far, his greatest joy was being married to his wife, Jolene, and spending time with his children and grandchildren. God blessed Ralph abundantly his entire life.
Ralph is preceded in death by his parents Meinrad and Beata (Dreiling) Kreitler, and siblings: Arthur, Alma (Martin), Al, Joe, Frank, Mary Agnes (Hultz) and Theresa (Harris).
Ralph is survived by his wife Jolene (Staab) Kreitler, his daughters Christine Mellin (Rick Mellin), Laura Kreitler, Lt Col USAF Ret. (Jeanne Johnston) Amy Gustafson (Marc Gustafson), and Jennifer Parsons (Bridger Parsons); and his grandchildren, Joshua and Kathryn Mellin; Jack and Charles Gustafson; and Adalai, Matthew, and Brianna Parsons; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A visitation and Rosary Prayer Service will be on August 13, 5-7pm, with Rosary prayed at 7pm. Adamson Life Celebration Home, 2000 47th Avenue, Greeley Co.
Funeral Mass will be on August 14th, 11am at St Mary Catholic Church. 2222 23rd Ave, Greeley Co. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please make a tax-deductible donation to a charity dear to Ralph's heart. Checks can be made payable to: Guadalupe Shelter/Catholic Charities. On the memo line write: Memorial Gift for Ralph Kreitler. Mail to: Guadalupe Community Center, 1442 N. 11th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80631.
Adamson Life Celebration Home