Lois Rohrbough

We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Lois Maxine (Cooley) Rohrbough. Born November 1, 1930 to Charlotte E. (Kohr) Cooley and Thomas William “Waldo” Cooley, Maxine passed on November 28, 2022. She was 92 years old.

Maxine was born in Salina, Kansas and grew up near Talmage, Kansas. She went to school in Abilene and met her late husband, Claude Alvin Rohrbough, while attending Kansas State University. Maxine graduated with a Bachelors Degree of Science in Home Economics in 1952 and she and Claude were married on December 21 of that same year.

In May of 1954, Claude enlisted for the army. After his honorable discharge in March 1961, he started his career in Geology. Together, Maxine and Claude traveled from Kansas, to Wyoming, to New York, to Texas, and finally Colorado. They raised three children: Randy  (who was born April 24,1957 and died Jan. 30,1978 at the age of 23), Mark (born 1957), and Brian (born 1959). Over the years, Maxine worked in the dorm kitchen of Kansas State, worked as a substitute chemistry teacher in Wyoming, in the gift department of a department store in Dallas, cooked in a school cafeteria in New York, worked as a Home Demonstration Agent when Smith County, Kansas first got electricity, and managed a restaurant in a hospital in Dallas. After her son Randy’s death in 1978, Maxine and Claude bought and operated the Fireside Inn and Gift shop in Littleton. She took care of her patrons and staff, and made sure that no-one left hungry. She also managed the kitchen of the Douglas H. Buck Community Recreation Center, and the kitchen became known as, “Maxine’s Kitchen”. Maxine loved to cook, and her delicious meals and warm hospitality are most fondly remembered by friends and family alike.

On April 20,1999 Maxine's grandson Daniel was murdered at Columbine High School.

Through life's joys and tragedies, Maxine was a woman with a big heart and a strong Christian faith. She enjoyed time with her grandchildren and great-grandson and was always pleased to hear about the things they were interested in. She loved her family and friends and enjoyed going to church. She loved the family pets and enjoyed chatting with the neighbors as they walked their dogs.

After Claude’s death in August 2019, Maxine moved to live with her son, Brian, his wife Lisa, and their children, Isaac and Rachael. She lived with them until her passing.

She leaves behind: her sister: Jane (Cooley) Diehl; her nephews: Brad and Bruce Diehl; her niece: Lauri Diehl McAllister; her sister in law: Frances Cooley; her nieces: Terri Bennett, Caroline Cooper, Lynette Cooley, Michelle Paris, and their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews; her sister in law: Ernestine Cooley; her nephews: John Mark, Chris, and William Cooley; her nieces: Cindy, Patty, Deanna, and their children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews; her sons: Mark Curtis Rohrbough (born 1957) and Brian Eric Rohrbough (born 1959); her grandchildren: Margaret, Jessica, Isaac and Rachael; and her great-grandson: Dylan.

Maxine is preceded in death by: her parents: Charlotte Elizabeth (Kohr) Cooley (August 13, 1905-March 14, 1985) and Thomas William “Waldo” Cooley (August 30, 1905-October 17, 1997); her brothers: Stephen Dale Cooley (September 19, 1945-August 15, 1979, Duaine Waldo Cooley (May 5, 1934-November 8, 2012) and John Howard Cooley (November 3, 1935-January 4, 1997); her son: Randall Lee Rohrbough (April 24,1954-January 30,1978); her grandsons: Daniel Lee Rohrbough (March 2, 1984-April 20, 1999) and Joshua Lee Rohrbough (June 2000); her niece: Mary Renee (Cooley) Koelling (November 30, 1974-January 18, 2018) and her husband: Claude Alvin Rohrbough (June 23, 1930-August 1, 2019)

Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, December 8, 2022, 1pm, Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 South Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood, Colorado. Graveside service will follow at at 2:30,  Littleton Cemetery, 6155 South Prince Street. Flowers may be delivered to the mortuary.