John G. Babcock

John Babcock was a loving husband, father, brother, and friend. He passed away suddenly on June 21, 2024 at the age of 80 in his hometown of Wheat Ridge, CO. A memorial service will be held on Monday, July 1, 2024 at Aspen Mortuary in Arvada, CO at 11:00am. A celebration of life will immediately follow at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center.

John was born on January 9, 1944 in Denver, CO to Henry and Margaret Babcock, joining his brother Hank. The family moved to Golden when John was still in diapers, where he was followed by sisters Caroline and Ann. Based on stories he would tell, the Golden years were indeed golden. He would recall delivering newspapers on his bike and building a retaining wall with Hank but seemed to have plenty of time for shenanigans too. John somehow graduated from Golden High and enrolled at the Colorado School of Mines, where his father taught. Sadly, even though (or maybe because) his father was a professor, John was not ready for the academic rigors of Mines and sought another adventure.

John had joined the US Naval Reserve while in high school, so chose to enlist in the Navy full time in 1964 until his honorable discharge in 1971. He deployed aboard the USS Constellation and USS Bainbridge, where he earned numerous service medals and commendations. John’s military experience gave him a lifetime of stories, which he never shied away from sharing.

Upon John’s return to Colorado, he re-enrolled at Mines. After 6 years, 9 months, and 11 days in the Navy he was a bit more disciplined and graduated as a mining engineer in 1974. His first job in mining kept him around the Mines campus where he met Jeanne. Soon after her graduation they teamed up to get their careers off the ground – or more like under the ground. Mining companies were fine with their relationship but tried to sabotage it by putting John and Jeanne on different shifts at the Henderson Mine and placing them at different zinc mines 150 miles apart in Tennessee. Somehow the pair stuck together and were married at Christmastime in 1978. John worked for several years based in Lakewood. There aren't many mines in Lakewood, so he got to travel to lots of different mines in various places.

The family was settled in Wheat Ridge and grew with the addition of two children, Eleanor and Eddie. Their bliss would have continued, except John was laid off from his job. Soon after, the mining assignments became long-term, so included moving the whole family. He was hired to work in Silverton, CO, but before the family could make arrangements the company told him he was going to Juneau, Alaska instead. Daughter Emmy was born in Alaska and became the youngest member of the traveling Babcock circus as they moved from Alaska to Texas to Montana to New York, and then back to Wheat Ridge. Life had come full circle, geographically anyway.

John finished his career as a construction estimator for the government at the Federal Center. He then moved, this time, into a well-deserved retirement. This allowed him much more time to work on his woodworking hobby. We all cherish the pieces he made. John had many other interests as well. He loved a cold beer in the afternoon, worked every day's crossword puzzle, and was a voracious reader.

In retirement John began following the Orediggers’ football team, attending most of their home games. It gave him a chance to sing out that he "drank his whisky clear" and was “a helluva engineer.”

John’s life took him across the country and across the world. His charm and quick, irreverent wit earned him many wonderful friends wherever he lived.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Margaret, sister, Ann, brother-in-law, Doug, nephew Danny Coursey, several dear friends, and a few miners, all for whom he shed many tears. John is survived by his wife, Jeanne, daughter Eleanor (Paul) Macias, son Edward (Katharine Attwell), and daughter Emmylou (Sheldon Vaughn). John is also survived by his brother Henry (Patricia) Babcock of Northfield, VT and sister Caroline Smith of Monterey, VA. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John's name to the American Heart Association or to your favorite charity.