Rike Ditzler Wootten

Rike Ditzler Wootten, a proud Marine Corps jet fighter pilot, prominent Denver businessman, dedicated civic leader, passionate fisherman, and avid gardener, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2026, surrounded by his family. He leaves behind a profound legacy of service, cultural stewardship, and visionary leadership that permanently shaped the city of Denver.

Born in 1932 in Chickasha, Oklahoma, to Henry and Ella Gayle Wootten, Rike was the youngest of three brothers. His oldest brother, Henry Jr., and his father died in a fishing accident when Rike was 18 months old. His mother remarried Ray Jenkins in 1939, and the family relocated to Denver shortly thereafter. Rike attended Grayland Country Day School, the Colorado Military Academy (now Colorado Academy), and Kemper Military School before enrolling at the University of Oklahoma. After graduation, he spent four wonderful years as a Marine Corps Pilot during a period of global peace. Rike met the love of his life, Barbara Stearns, while on leave during the Christmas holiday of 1957. They married after a whirlwind romance less than six months later, and soon thereafter, he enrolled at the Harvard Business School.

Rike moved back to Denver after graduating from HBS and joined the Colorado National Bank. He soon helped start and run the Bank’s Small Business Investment Corporation, which ignited a passion for running small businesses that drove Rike to start the Mentor Corporation a few years later. At its peak, the Mentor Corporation was a conglomerate that owned a diversified group of businesses, including a manufacturer of mining equipment, a chain of lumber yards, a store equipment manufacturing company, and many other enterprises. He later joined Cohig & Associates as an investment advisor. Throughout his career, he served on multiple corporate boards.

Rike was a passionate civic leader. He was a founder and former Chairman of the Board of Larimer Square and worked closely with Dana Crawford to assemble and lead its vision for over twenty years. Rike led the committee to form the Arapahoe County Airport, which was later renamed Centennial Airport—now one of the top three busiest general aviation airports in the United States. As President and later Chair of the Denver Symphony Orchestra, he and Dorothy Heitler led the effort to raise money, design, and build Boettcher Concert Hall as the Denver Symphony Orchestra’s new home. He was a Trustee at Loretto Heights College, a longtime member of the Denver Rotary Club and the Metro Denver Executive Club, a longtime member of the Denver Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and a member of the Vestry at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral.

Rike was also an avid family man. He enjoyed attending his sons' sporting events and concerts, skiing with his family, fly fishing with his son Chris, outwitting raccoons and rabbits to grow and harvest bushels of fresh vegetables and enjoying dinners at home with Barbara and the family.

Rike was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Barbara Stearns Wootten. He is survived by his three devoted sons, Rike, Chris, and Tom; as well as a community of extended family, colleagues, and friends who benefited from his wisdom, generosity, and sharp wit.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made in Rike's honor to the Denver Rotary Club Foundation, continuing his lifelong legacy of community leadership and service.