Douglas James Hartley

Douglas James “DJ” Hartley, 62, of Dillon, Colorado, passed away in Thornton, Colorado, on May 20, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.

DJ was born on April 28, 1963, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Christopher and Marilyn Hartley. He went to high school in Fort Lupton, where he met many life-long friends. He graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Most importantly, he met the love of his life, Mary, on a ski trip for the Accounting Club (where he was the president looking for a first lady!).

DJ and Mary were married in 1988 at St. Mary’s in Denver, and their first daughter, Ali, was born several years later. DJ continued his studies, obtaining a master’s degree in Accounting and Finance from Regis University, and became a Certified Public Accountant.

They later moved to Tucson, Arizona, where they welcomed their two sons, Jacob and Andrew. DJ’s favorite activities in Arizona were volunteering with Search & Rescue and taking the family on camping and hiking adventures. He loved taking his kids on vacation to spend time with family and enjoy the sunshine in Mexico.

The family moved back to Colorado for DJ’s work with Everist Materials, in Silverthorne, where he worked for 15 years. They made their home in Dillon, Colorado for 22 years, where DJ continued to be an avid outdoorsman — enjoying skiing, hiking 14ers, biking and being closer to family.

Of utmost importance to DJ was time with his wife and children. He and Jacob rode motorcycles each year, he surfed in California with Andrew and took Ali on many hiking adventures. He also loved coaching his kids' sports teams in their grade school years.

He loved his animals— wild and domesticated— including chickens, guinea pigs, birds, and rabbits, but he always had a dog by his side. He had a passion for classic cars (he owned a ’68 Chevy Chevelle) and 80s music, and you could always find him dancing–including in “Dancing with the Mountain Stars”!

He was a devout member of the Catholic Church, and spent his entire life serving in various ministries, including becoming a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus. DJ was active in the Summit County community by serving on the board of the women’s resource center and supporting many other charitable organizations.

He had a great laugh, and you could always count on him inventing new practical jokes every April Fool’s Day. Any opportunity to spend time with loved ones put a huge smile on his face and he was always ready to give a big bear hug.

Although hardworking and dedicated to his career, family and faith always came first. He was an amazing husband, father, brother, and friend.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Mary Hartley; their children, Ali (Mike) Hartley, Jacob (Autumn) Hartley, and Andrew (Seri) Hartley; and his siblings, Colleen Smith, Jennifer (Alvino) Infante, Casey (Robert) Macias, and Sean (Sara) Hartley, along with many nieces and nephews, and grand-nieces and grand-nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother-in-law, Brian Smith, and his parents.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, May 28 at Saints Peter & Paul Roman Catholic Church at 10:00 am, preceded by the rosary at 9:30 am and followed by a reception. All are welcome.

DJ will be missed by all those who knew him.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May the souls of all the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration in DJ’s memory. Link: https://www.theaftd.org/