Carter F. Collier

Carter F. Collier, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend passed away on Friday, November 7, 2014 at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, AL. He was 72. Carter was traveling to Florida with his wife of 38 years when his illness became advanced and he succumbed to the disease. Carter was born on May 24, 1942 in Kankakee, IL to William and Miriam Collier. He graduated from Dodge City High School and Dodge City Junior College. He married Nora Wilson in 1976 and moved to Littleton, CO. He considered Colorado his home as he spent the majority of his adult life there. He lived in Highlands Ranch for the past 18 years. He spent his working life in the Glass Industry retiring in 2002 as an owner partner in Massa Glass & Glass Design which had several locations in the Denver metro area. Carter had many hobbies and interests; he enjoyed working on cars (even though it probably didn't sound like it if you stood outside of his garage, lots of colorful language could be heard), he rebuilt a 1974 Jeep CJ5 and then a 1967 Chevy II Nova with his son. He loved building/engineering things; most recently he had started making custom pens. He would make special pens for his caregivers. I think most of his Doctors had a special pen made just for them. He always loved the outdoors and in his younger years could be found four wheeling in his jeep, camping, and snowmobiling. More recently he enjoyed going on RV trips with his wife. One of his favorite places to visit was along a river in Loveland, CO. He always wanted to pull up and listen to the water rushing by. One of his most notable features was his hair and beard. When his hair had not yet turned white, he was mistaken for Charlie Daniels. As the years turned his hair white, some thought he looked like Kenny Rogers and after he retired he drove a school bus and one little girl liked to call him Santa Claus. Some thought he was intimidating, his size and big bushy beard but he was the quintessential cuddly bear with an enormous heart. He loved to dance and his legs looked like rubber as he would scoot around the floor. Some of his favorite songs were ""Roll With It"" by Steve Winwood and ""Respect"" by Aretha Franklin. He played the piano and could play a mean version of Heart and Soul! During his high school years he played the trombone and was in a select band that would play for events around the town. He was a caring and compassionate man; Holidays around his table would be filled with visitors who were displaced from their families. If you were a friend of Carter, you were a friend for life. Carter is survived by his wife, Nora Collier of Highlands Ranch, CO; son, Shawn Collier, Wichita, KS; Daughters, Angela Blurton, Arvada, CO and Jodi Leitner and her husband Bob of Castle Pines, CO; 5 grandchildren, Joe Hawk of Independence, KS, Jace Dukes, Arvada, CO, Cody Collier, Wichita, KS; Alexandra & Abigail Leitner of Castle Pines, CO; and his sister, Karen Davenport, Wichita, KS; sister-in-law Jane VanRankin, Kiowa, KS. All are invited to join the family in a celebration of Carter's life on Friday, November 21, 2014, 11:00am, Horan and McConaty, 5303 E. County Line Road, Centennial, CO. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Pulmonary Vascular Disease Research at University of Colorado Hospital, Denver, Colorado. For further information see http://www.cufund.org/giving-opportunities/fund-description/?id=14545 Please share your memories of Carter and condolences with his family by signing the guestbook below.