Josephine "Jo" Louise Herder

Josephine (Jo) Louise Herder (85) passed away on January 27, 2025 after complications from a stroke. Near the end she had the joy of being with many of her family members.  She demonstrated in her life a legacy of strength, creativity, and love.

She was born on the western slope of Colorado.  After graduating from high school in Gypsum, Colorado, she and her twin sister came to Denver to attend Barnes Business College.  There she met her husband Gerald (Jerry) who she shared 54 years of marriage with.  She was a stay at home mom who raised 4 children. 

She devoted her life to helping and raising her children.  She would volunteer at their schools, she was a girl scout leader, and she cooked for and travelled with her daughter’s drum and bugle corp.

She loved being creative with crafts.  Some of her favorites were learning to crochet when her daughter showed an interest in learning, making quilts for her family, and making flower arranging for weddings and special occasions.  She also liked to work with shading and colors as she would paint and then later in life color in adult coloring books.  She loved cooking and experimenting with recipes.  She took great pleasure in sharing these skills with her children and grandchildren. 

She also enjoyed playing card games, board games, and video games with her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed going on walks and sharing pictures of birds and wildlife with her family.

Jo is survived by her 4 children and their spouses – Jeanine Salewski (Jack), Sandra Mortenson (Terry), David Herder, and Carrie Lyons (John).  She is also survived by 8 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, her brother Carl, and many nieces and nephews.

She will always be in our hearts and will be missed.

A memorial for Jo will be held at Aspen Mortuary, 1350 Simms St, Lakewood, CO  80401 on Saturday February 1 at 10:00am.