Darwin Eugene Colby

Darwin Eugene Colby, 94, of Grand Junction was liberated from his earthly body August 22, 2023. He died peacefully in his sleep after a battle with colon cancer.  He was born to Issac Jackson (Jack) Colby and Delia Bergithe Madsen, May 30, 1929 in Idaho Falls, ID.  He was the eldest of five children with one sister, Renee and three brothers; Ronald, Kenneth and Melvin.

Darwin graduated from Weber High School in Ogden, UT in 1947. After graduation he attended Weber State College for one year. Majoring in accounting, he also took music classes.  In high school and in college Darwin played the trombone.  Darwin married Dorothy (Dottie) Jean Kraus September 8, 1949.  They had 5 children, Jeanne, Jo(lynn), Douglas, Curtis and Jeridene. He had 14 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and a few great-great-grandchildren.

During his life time, Darwin held many jobs and had many hobbies. He worked for the railroad from 1951 until 1958, sold resistor tubes, worked for an electronics firm and eventually ended up at Hill Air Force Base in 1959. For the remainder of his career, he worked as a civilian for the Department of Defense.  This provided him the opportunity to work in several states in the United States Including Utah, Colorado, Arizona, North Dakota, Iowa and Ohio. Internationally he worked in Germany and Saudia Arabia. Working internationally provided him the opportunity to travel all around the world.

He was an avid fisherman and would take every opportunity to go fishing. He enjoyed other outdoor sports including snowmobiling, hunting rabbits, camping, and cross-country skiing. He also enjoyed square dancing and did that with his first wife for many years. Darwin was easy going, friendly and outgoing. He was hard working and early in his life he worked two jobs, especially as a newly wed to make ends me. He was ambitions and focused on his goals. Darwin wanted a college education and instilled that ideal in his children’s minds. He eventually graduated with an associates degree from Weber State College in about 1972.

In June 1986 Darwin divorced Dottie and married Marcia Ruderman. He remained married to Marcia until his death but obtained a legal separation from her in 2019.

He was preceded in death by his mother, father, brother Kenneth, sister Renee, son Curtis, granddaughter Chantel Colby and grandson Troy Kartchner.  He is survived by his first wife Dottie Classick, Marcia Ruderman, his brothers Ronald and Melvin Colby, his daughters Jeanne (Brent) Bevan, Jo Sorensen, and Jeri (Mark) Basko, and his son Doug Colby (JoAnne).

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.