Margaret “Marge” Loretta (Bratkovic) Nuttall, 94, of Aurora, Colorado, passed away peacefully on June 29, 2026.

Marge was born in Kansas City, Kansas on November 25, 1931, to Frank Bratkovic and Antonia Luzar, both Slovenian immigrants. Growing up during the Great Depression, she attended St. Anthony's School, where she developed a love of learning, music, and the Catholic faith that would remain with her throughout her life. When Marge was seven, her father died, and her older sister, Eleanor, left school to help support the family. One of Eleanor's greatest gifts to her little sister was paying for piano lessons, making possible a lifelong love of music. When their mother died from cancer when Marge was 15, she first lived with her brother Carl in Annapolis, Maryland, then with her brother Al in Bremerton and Seattle, Washington, before joining Eleanor in Kit Carson, Colorado, where she completed high school.

Like many young women of her generation, Marge attended school, Lamar Junior College, to become a secretary. There she met her future husband, Gordon Nuttall. They married after her first year of college, and Marge devoted herself to raising their six children as a stay-at-home mom. During those years, she and several neighborhood friends formed the Monday Musicale, gathering every week to perform for one another. The club became one of the highlights of her social life and led to some of her closest lifelong friendships. Marge and Gordon eventually divorced.

Once all the children were in school, Marge returned to college to take classes in music. When she learned she was only a few classes away from an associate's degree, she decided to finish it. That decision eventually led to a teaching certificate from Metropolitan State College in Denver, a master's degree, and a 20-year career teaching music. She worked in Littleton Public Schools, including sixteen years at Franklin Elementary School, where she formed many cherished friendships with her fellow teachers.

Music was a constant companion throughout Marge's life. She loved jazz, was classically trained, taught using the Orff method, and spent many weekends playing the organ and piano for church services and weddings. She also loved to travel. During her years as a teacher, and especially throughout her nearly 30 years of retirement, she traveled throughout North and Central America and Europe—sometimes with family, sometimes with friends, and sometimes with her longtime companion, confidant, and friend, Bill Call (deceased), whom she met on a trip to Portugal. One of the most meaningful journeys of her life was traveling to Slovenia, where she met relatives for the first time and began relationships with her family there that she cherished for the rest of her life. Her last international adventure was a trip to Mexico City in March to celebrate the wedding of her youngest grandchild.

Again and again throughout her life, Marge embraced new chapters with faith, gratitude, and optimism. In retirement and throughout her later years, faith and family brought her the greatest joy. A lifelong Catholic, she attended Mass regularly at All Souls Church and, after moving to Aurora, at Our Lady of Loreto. When the COVID pandemic interrupted in-person worship, she found congregations that streamed their services online. Even after churches reopened, she continued following a daily schedule of Masses from parishes across North America. Nothing brought Marge greater joy than being with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who lovingly returned the care she always gave them and made sure she remained surrounded by family, faith, and the people she loved most. Looking back on her life, Marge said that God had “led me in the right direction every time when I didn't know which end was up.”

A Funeral Mass celebrating Marge's life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at Our Lady of Loreto Catholic Parish in Aurora, Colorado. The morning will begin with the Rosary at 9:45 a.m., followed by congregational singing before the Mass. A reception at the church will follow.

Marge is lovingly remembered by her six children, Lisa (Michael) Kraft, Gail (Joe) Sindelar, Gordon (Karen) Nuttall, Dana (Michael) Kelleher, Kerry (Craig) Dehning, and Monica (Jerry) Boyd; her seventeen grandchildren, Brian (Jamie) Kraft, Jonathan (Carrie) Kraft, Adam (Laura) Kraft, Deanna (Jake) Thaler, Jan Miyake (Josh Levy), Diann (Kevin) Mazingo, the late Megan McGrew, Jennifer (Matt) Warner, Blake Kelleher, Bobbie Jo (Jeremy) Gilliam, Abigail (Jeremiah) Martinez, Christina (Jarred) Hafler, Matthew Dehning, Julie (Nathan) Busse, Jessica (Ben) Greer, J.T. Rooney (Charli Davis), and James (María) Rooney; her 22 great-grandchildren, with two more eagerly anticipated; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, dear friends, former students, and colleagues.

Those wishing to honor Marge's memory are invited to make a memorial donation to the Megan Marie McGrew Memorial Fund.

The fund was established in memory of Marge's granddaughter, Megan Marie Nuttall McGrew, following her passing in 2003. Since then, it has provided an annual one-year college scholarship to a student from the music program who is graduating from Fort Collins High School, Megan's alma mater. Candidates are selected through the Poudre School District's scholarship application process.

Memorial contributions may be made by check payable to The Megan Marie McGrew Memorial Fund and mailed to:

First National Bank

P.O. Box 578

Fort Collins, CO 80522

Please include Account No. 01100431553 with your donation.