Jacob Elbert Vorhies

JACOB ELBERT VORHIES

Born: May 12, 1936   Died: April 23, 2022

Jacob Vorhies passed away April 23, 2022 at his home in Montrose, Colorado under hospice care following a recent hospitalization for pneumonia. In lieu of services, there will be a Celebration of Life for family and friends to gather together in remembrance sometime later in the summer near Woodland Park.

Early life:  In his youth, Jakie spent many joyful days at his maternal grandfather Jake Workman’s saw mill outside of Woodland Park, Colorado.  His extended family of aunts, primarily Snooks and Virginia, were key figures in his pre-school life helping his mother Sis (Fleta Workman) when his dad Raymond Vorhies served in the Navy.  Jake attended Woodland Park schools, graduating high school in 1955.  He enjoyed rodeos, playing basketball and fast cars and his youth was rich and adventure-filled with many friends and cousins by his side.  Jakie met Rudie (Rue Ann Stafford) in high school when she moved to Woodland Park from Kansas.  Rudie, her mom Tommie Stafford and the WPHS truant officer had a tempering influence on some of the rebel instincts Jake possessed, helping to transform the gap-tooth cowlick-cool teenager into the hard-working husband, father and life-long friend so many knew – although the cool crew cut remained.

Marriages and Family:  Jake married his high school sweetheart Rue Ann Stafford in 1956 and joined the US Air Force shortly thereafter.  Jake and Rue Ann lived in Cocoa Beach, Florida while he was stationed at Patrick Air Force Base where their eldest daughter Janet Lynn was born in 1958.  Jake served in Korea as a Radio Operator with the 6550^th Communications Squadron.  After his Honorable Discharge from the USAF in 1959, Jake went to work for the Martin Company constructing military missile silos at locations in Arizona.  Jake and Rue Ann had a second daughter Joyce Sue born in 1959 who died in infancy.  Their third daughter Stacey Jo was born in Tucson, AZ in 1962.  The young family returned to their home base of Woodland Park in 1963 where Jakie worked for Western Electric as an Installer.  His career in the telecommunications industry spanned the subsequent AT&T companies until his retirement in 1990.  Jake and Rue Ann lived in Woodland Park and raised their family there until Rue Ann’s passing in 1991 from cancer.

The Lord blessed Jake with a second chance for love and happiness when he married Wanda Ann Cummins (maiden Pearce) in 1992 in Woodland Park.  Jake’s family then blossomed with addition of the children of Wanda and Vernon Cummins (deceased 1986); Terry Cummins and his wife Annie and Celesta Rilling and her husband Chad.  Wanda and Jake enjoyed splitting time between Arizona and Woodland Park living the best of both worlds of mountain life then flocking as snowbirds to golf country in the desert during Winter for many years.  Jake’s love of golf in his retirement years rivaled his love of hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and being in the outdoors throughout his lifetime.  Being in the reverence of God’s work in nature was Jakie’s preferred church, although he was also a member of the Woodland Park Community Church where his in-laws Tommie (Nora) and Paul Stafford belonged during his marriage to Rue Ann.  Jake and Wanda had residences in Woodland Park, Pueblo West, Surprise, AZ and were residing in Montrose, Colorado when he passed peacefully at home.

Jake is survived by his wife Wanda (Montrose, CO) daughters Janet Burrows (Sedalia, CO) and Stacey Goddard (Tucson, AZ) grandsons Wyatt James Goddard (Littleton, CO) and Sawyer Grayson Goddard (Santa Barbara, CA) stepson Terry Cummins and his wife Annie (Florissant, CO and Austin, TX) and stepdaughter Celesta Rilling and her husband Chad (Montrose, CO) grandson Shane Cummins (Woodland Park, CO) greatgrandson Quentin, granddaughter Krystle Rilling and her partner Ben Haynes, great grandchildren Jaden, Kinsley and Kason, grandson Zach Cummins and his wife Colleen (La Quinta, CA) great grandchildren Kaiden, Harlee and Atlas.  Jake’s extended family included brother Bob Vorhies, his wife Phyllis and his nephew Jimmy who predeceased him, niece Cathy and her husband Don Montoya (Colorado Springs, CO), nephews Jerry, Bobby Dale and Dan Vorhies.  Favorite cousins separated by location, time or death, but loved nonetheless include Thelma and Aggie (Hodgson), all the Ball family and the Simms boys’ families (Jim, John, Jack and Joe), LaVonna Sherman family (Houston, TX), and Terry Bartholamew & family (Nowata, OK.)