Thelma Slivka

“Thelma Jean Pahl Slivka (Jean), 89, died December 3, 2012 at Porter Hospice in Centennial Colorado. She waged a courageous 12 month battle after a traumatic brain injury in November 2011. Jean was born March 21, 1923 in Cambridge Nebraska to Edward Lewis and Lucille Martha (Clark) Pahl. She spent six years in Colorado as a young child, returning to Nebraska after the death of her mother. Her father died when she was 12. She moved to Denver after high school graduation to attend business school. She met her future husband as he was stationed at Fort Logan before WWII. During the war she worked in Washington DC and in Ottawa, Ontario. She married Rudolph Bedrich Slivka on February 15, 1946 in Milburn, IL. She completed her RN degree at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park IL later that year. Their first home was married student housing at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. After the birth of their first child, Lauren, in 1947, they bought their first home on Myrtle Street. Two more children arrived: Susannah in 1948 and Patrice in 1952. Having experienced the climate in Denver before the war, the couple returned in 1955 when Rudy became the Accountant-Comptroller for KWAL Paints and Scientific Supply. Jean worked as an RN, first as a private duty nurse, later helping to open the first ICU at Swedish Hospital in 1961 after the family moved to Littleton. She worked at Swedish until her retirement in 1974. Jean and Rudy enjoyed traveling. They went on golfing vacations, cruises, and road trips to visit their daughters and others. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a Caribbean Cruise. Jean’s favorite trip was a cruise up the inland passage to Alaska.She was always interested in identifying plants, birds and animals. Jean loved golfing, bowling, skiing, sewing, gardening, reading, bicycling and walking. She belonged to two book clubs and took pride in her five mile walks. She took up skiing in her forties and despite a serious broken leg she continued to ski in to her seventies. She went on her first backpacking trip at age 55! Her other passion was playing scrabble which she usually won. She is survived by three children and spouses: Lauren Edward (Debra) Slivka, Denver; Susanna Lynn (Gordon) Bair, Sunset Beach CA; Margret Patrice (Kenneth) Loucks, Hamilton MT; eight grandchildren: Tim Slivka, Salida; Aurora Moore, Denver; Saneya Bair, Long Beach CA; Breton Slivka, Australia; Devin Bair, Huntington Beach CA; Kerensa Loucks Pierce, Portland OR; Danica Loucks, Brunswick ME; and four great-grandchildren: Sean Slivka, Salida; Hunter Ellison, Denver; Zachary Ellison, Denver; Rowynn Slivka, Salida. Her husband Rudolph, her parents, and sisters Maxine Pahl Farris King and Margret Pahl Rice Stewart preceded her in death. Her body was donated for medical research. A symbolic lock of her hair was interred at Fort Logan with her husband. A celebration of her life will be held at Christ Congregational UCC Church, 2500 S. Sheridan Blvd., Sunday, Feb 17, 2013 at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to Porter Hospice Foundation: 1391 Speer Blvd, Suite #600, Denver, CO 80204. or www.chahf.org/porterhospice Please specify Porter Hospice Residence Improvements with her name. We are accumulating enough for a commemorative brick.