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Memorial Keepers (1)

All-States Cremation - Wheat Ridge

Burton Kelchner

November 15th, 1921 - May 31st, 2018

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Burton L. Kelchner, 96, died May 31st in Wheat Ridge, Colorado at Collier Hospice after a short illness from a closed head injury due to a fall. He was born in Bethlehem, PA to Floyd O. Kelchner and Gertrude Kiefer Kelchner, the 7th of 8 children. Upon graduating from high school, he entered Moravian College in Bethlehem majoring in Chemistry. He graduated early in January 1943 and entered the Army. After taking a battery of tests, the Army sent him to Virginia Tech for a degree in Chemical Engineering. Once again, after taking an accelerated schedule, the Army tapped him and several friends for a secret new project out west. On that circuitous train trip, he fell in love with the west and lived thereafter in New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. He worked on the Manhattan Project, witnessed history, helped build Rocky Flats and finished his career as a Cold War soldier and patriot. During boot camp in Alabama in 1943, he met and fell in love with Ann Strickland of Oneonta, Alabama. They corresponded daily for a year before they married in July 1944. During those two years, 1943-1944, Ann studied at the University of Alabama. When the war in Europe ended, she took the train to Albuquerque. She rented a tiny apartment in downtown Albuquerque for the summer of 1945, and when the war was over, she was finally allowed to move up to The Hill, Los Alamos. They lived in married housing for the next 7 years and 2 of their 3 daughters were born in Los Alamos: Eileen and Joan. In 1952, Burton was given the opportunity to help develop the new weapons plant, Rocky Flats, outside Boulder, CO. The family moved to Wheat Ridge. The third daughter, Elizabeth, was born 2 years later and the family made Wheat Ridge their home until 1985. By that time, the girls were grown and on their own, so Burton and Ann began the journey south, living in Littleton for 10 years, Albuquerque again for 6 years and then Glendale, AZ, for 4 years. They thoroughly enjoyed their golden years in 3 more new communities, exploring all three states to the fullest. In 2005, with health issues starting to interfere, they moved back to Lakewood, CO to the Westland Meridian senior living complex which Burton enjoyed for 13 years and where Ann still resides. Burton is survived by his wife Ann of almost 74 years, his daughters, Eileen Gardner, CPA (husband Kerry Gardner and their children Nathaniel Richards, Courtney Richards and Karl Gardner), (all of the Denver area), Dr. Joan Kelchner, retired, Phoenix, (husband James Trocki, deceased) and Elizabeth Kelchner, retired (husband L. S. Skinkle Jr.), both in Phoenix.

We Entrusted Burton Kelchner's Care To

All-States Cremation - Wheat Ridge

Since 1986, Wheat Ridge families have entrusted All-States Cremation to guide them through tough times, providing affordable solutions that maintain the personalized care we're recognized for. Our skilled staff specializes in cremation services tailored to honor your beliefs and budget. At All-States Cremation, we stand by full transparency in pricing. There are no hidden expenses with us. We also offer simple, cost-effective cremation packages adjusted to suit your needs. Feel at ease knowing you're in capable hands—a dependable Denver Wheat Ridge community member committed to supporting you with expertise at every turn....

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(720) 240-9227

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