Vincent Paul Crespin

Vincent Paul Crespin, age 65, bravely passed away on September 3, 2024, with his loving wife Paula at his side, holding his hand.  He valiantly battled lung cancer and its effects since 2017. Born on August 9, 1959 to Alberta (Lawdy) Ulibarri and Jake Crespin Jr., Vince dedicated his life to his family and to service, both in the military and in his community. Vince proudly served in the Marine Corps from 1978 to 1985, achieving the rank of Sergeant. He earned numerous commendations for his leadership and military excellence. His commitment to his country was unwavering, and a source of inspiration to all who knew him.  

Vince is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Paula; his children, Veronica Crespin-Palmer (Leotis); Vincent Paul Crespin II (Ryan), his granddaughters, Avianna Palmer and Amelia Crespin, mother Alberta Liebert, sister Lupe Crespin and brothers Ray Crespin (Glenda),  Joaquin Liebert, Aggie Gallegos, and John Crespin.  There are also numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and godchildren.  He is preceded in death by his beloved grandson, Leotis “Trey” Palmer III.  

Following his service in the Marine Corps, Vince continued to serve his community as a coach, mentor, tutor, and police reserve officer with the Denver Police Department.  He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Regis Univesity and was employed in various branches of the Federal government for twenty years before earning his Masters Degree at DU and becoming a Social Worker.  He worked for the City and County of Denver as a caseworker for nine years, serving children in foster care and facilitating the adoption of many children through the Denver courts.  Following in his mother’s footsteps, Vince later moved on to Denver Public Schools where he worked at Henry and Hamilton Middle Schools as a school social worker for another nine years before retiring. Known for his dedication to the children and families in his charge, Vince advocated for his clients with kindness and compassion.  He left a lasting impact on those he served and worked alongside.

In his retirement, Vince enjoyed working on his collections of sports cards, model trains, and military figurines. He was also an avid genealogist and military historian, particularly interested in Marine Corps victories and fields of battle.  He traveled extensively with Paula enjoying cruises to Mexico, Alaska, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and various countries in Europe.  He also enjoyed sports trips where he traveled with family and friends to see the Broncos play all over the United States, London, and he even went to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona which was a dream come true. A movie enthusiast since childhood, going to the “show” always provided Vince with a lot of joy and he went frequently with his crew which included his mother Alberta, sister Lupe, godson Dominic and niece Natalia when she was in town, with dinner afterward.  Vince and Paula took Trey and Avi to the movies on a weekly basis to the Elvis theater in Tamarac Square to see the latest animated movies.  He also enjoyed weekly FaceTime calls with granddaughter Amelia.

A Viewing will be held on Thursday, October 3rd from 5pm-8pm at Embassy Christian Bible Church. Services to honor Vince’s’s life and legacy will be held on Friday, October 4th with a Viewing at 11am and a Celebration of Life at 12pm at Embassy Christian Bible Church located at 4625 Iowa Ave. Denver 80222.  Full military honors will be rendered at Ft. Logan National Cemetery at 2:30pm located at 4400 W. Kenyon Ave. Denver 80236. A reception will follow his burial from 4pm-6pm at Embassy Christian Bible Church. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Trey Palmer Memorial Scholarship Fund in Vince’s memory at www.TreyPalmerScholarship.org. This scholarship was established in his late grandson Trey’s honor to support students of color pursuing  their education and achieving their hopes and dreams in life.  Vince’s legacy of service, love of family, and dedication to his community will forever be cherished by all who had the privilege of knowing him.