COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado Springs resident Kenneth Fred Orton, 94, died peacefully on July 19, 2023, at Health Care Resorts under hospice care.
A native of La Jara, Colo., Mr. Orton was born May 29, 1929, the son of Francis Sidney and Mercie Florence (Shawcroft) Orton. He grew up in La Jara, Colo., working at the family Navajo gas station. He was a 1954 graduate of the University of Denver with a degree in accounting.
On June 15, 1953, he married Loretta Ann Murphy in Alamosa (divorced 1976). He married Sue Nancy Hanks Russell in Las Vegas, Nev., on Jan. 24, 1980.
For over 20 years, Mr. Orton worked for the Public Service Company of Colorado in Denver as a systems analyst and many years as an accountant for various Colorado Springs and Pueblo firms. He was an active member of the Colorado Springs LDS Church, serving in various roles in several churches throughout his entire life.
He actively volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America. In his free time, he enjoyed gardening, coin collecting, and playing games/cards. He was known to be a talented fly-fisherman, die-hard Denver Broncos fan, and home repair auto-mechanic.
During his retirement years, Kenneth enjoyed grilling delicious steaks and making A&W root beer floats on the deck of the family home. His grandchildren remember him for receiving great birthday cards with ice cream money inside, eating pancakes together at Village Inn, his love of watching the Game Show Network, Taco Bell, Hershey’s chocolate nuggets, and eating cherry pie and Pepsi for dinner.
He is survived by his wife, Sue Nancy Russell Orton; four children, Mark Orton of Albuquerque, N.M., Robert (Kimberly) Orton of Wilton, Conn., Ann (Lorenzo) De La Vega of Sandy Hook, Conn., Gary (Jennifer) Orton of Frederick, Md.; five step-children, Rick (Paula) Russell of Stafford, Va., Jerry (Becky) Russell of Frisco, Texas, Kelly Lynn (Rob) Daines of Brigham City, Utah, Chris (Sonia) Russell of American Fork, Utah, Kip (Kim) Russell of Colorado Springs, Colo.; 11 grandchildren; 17 step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and 18 step-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Bertron Orton and Keith Frank Orton; sisters Edna Beverly “Doll” Clark and Lola Ann Wood Ford; and ex-wife Loretta Ann Murphy Orton Decker.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, at 4 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2750 Melissa Dr., Colorado Springs, CO, with internment on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, at noon in the Alamosa Cemetery.
