Alice Jean Pyle

Alice Jean Gwynn Pyle was born on March 6, 1925 in Woodworth North Dakota. She was the first born child of Chauncy William Gwynn (born in Lamert North Dakota) and Rosella Sana Jorgina Johnson (born in Appleton Minnesota). Her grandparents were Ole (born in Vaage Norway) and Josephine Johnson (born in Appleton Minnesota) and Ada and Earl Gwynn of Carrington North Dakota. According to her baby book Jean received a carriage from her grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Ole Johnson, a locket from her aunt and uncle Mr. and Mrs. Simon Jenson and cousin Omar, a hot water bottle from the Rexall Store and 5 pairs of rubber pants. She was creeping at 8 months, stood alone at 10 months and took her first steps on February 10, 1926 when she was 11 months old. The story goes that she was christened Alice Jean Gwynn, but her Norwegian grandmother couldn†™t pronounce Alice but she could say †œYean†�, so †œYean†� it was. Jean graduated from Woodworth High School in June 1943. She attended Jamestown College in Jamestown North Dakota and then the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis where she graduated with a Bachelor†™s degree in nursing. Shortly after graduation Jean boarded the train for Denver to work at Children†™s Hospital in Denver and became the head nurse on the infants†™ floor. Jean met Bob Pyle in the fall of 1950. The date was arranged by Margie Lee, a nurse Jean worked with at Children†™s. Margie Lee was to go with her cousin Bob Pyle to the homecoming football game at the University of Colorado. She had Jean go in her place and the rest is history. At a candlelight service in the Evangelical Lutheran church in Woodworth North Dakota on March 3, 1951 the marriage of Alice Jean Gwynn and Robert Linn Pyle occurred. They spent their honeymoon in Bismarck North Dakota and returned to Denver to start their life together. Jean stayed at home to raise 4 children and run the household. The kids always had their lunch or lunch money setting by their place at the breakfast table and breakfast was not optional. She spent countless hours in the car shuttling kids to one activity or another and waiting to pick them up again. She loved to bake and cook in her kitchen. There were lots of grand parties at the Pyle house and Jean could always come up with the most wonderful recipes. There was the roast pig, the baron of beef, beef brisket, grandma†™s buns, peanut brittle, sticky buns, Chicken a la king, Frog eye salad, canned peaches and pears that had been picked in the fall in Palisade, fresh jelly, dill pickles, lefsa, pickled herring, julekage, and any kind of cake, cookie, and pie you can imagine. Jean was a charter member of the Jefferson County Republican Women†™s club and was always excited to host the Christmas tea at her home. She was an active member of King of Glory Lutheran Church and served for many years as the wedding coordinator. After the kids grew up Jean worked as a nurse at Mountain Vista nursing home in Wheat Ridge. She loved to play bridge and in most cases had †œpretty good cards†�. Jean and Bob traveled extensively throughout the United States as well as Australia, Canada, and Southeast Asia. Jean also enjoyed traveling with her daughter Becky. They enjoyed trips to France, Monaco, London, Greece, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Jean traveled with Becky to attend the annual conference of the American Academy of Ambulatory Care nursing for 17 years in a row. Wherever Jean went she made friends and always enjoyed herself. She never wanted to miss a thing. After selling her home Jean resided at Covenant Village Retirement Center in Westminster CO. She loved her patio home and continued to entertain and participate in many activities. Her husband Bob passed away in 1994. She is survived by her brother Curtis Gwynn, Park Rapids Minnesota, her four children Calvin (Cathy) Pyle of Arvada, Becky Pyle and Missy Dubois of Westminster Colorado, and Molly (Steve Miner) of Guntersville Alabama. Seven grandchildren: Weston and Tyler Love, Alicia Martinez, Kyle McMillan, Heather Pyle, Gloria Jean (Joel) Friesenegger, and Lisa (Alan) Mikes. Five great grandchildren: Jason, Stacy, Tracy, Keith, and Emily and several cousins, nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind many many friends who will miss her dearly but hold in their hearts warm memories of a life well lived.