Lori Ward

    Lori Gay Prussman (Latta) Ward was born Oct. 17, 1958, in Holyoke to William Neal Prussman and Virginia Braun Prussman. She died March 22, 2018, after a long, valiant fight against a very rare uterine sarcoma.
    Her love of playing the piano and singing with a voice beyond her years began in the third grade. She also played the drums and got her first drum set while in high school, graduating from Haxtun High School in 1977. Her two favorite music teachers, Mr. Gutierrez and Mr. Hohweiler, inspired and encouraged her to sing and perform at many school and local events. She gave those around her many hours of enjoyment.
    Lori was married to Jim Latta in 1977 in Red Feather Lakes. They lived in Colorado Springs and in Texas until their divorce in 1984, when Lori moved back to Colorado. Lori graduated from Colorado State University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science degree in geology. Later, she would come within one lab course of a second Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry.
    Before graduating, she began working with Dr. Malcolm McCallum from the geology department as an independent contractor, doing microscope work, looking for the elusive diamond. After graduation, she continued to work with her ex-professor in his new company, HDM Inc. in Loveland, doing mineral exploration work.
    Her most romantic geological experience included a summer in the Northwest Territories in Canada, panning and doing microscope work as she continued to look for the next geological discovery of diamonds. She was laid off from this company — to her disappointment at the time — but that opened the doors to a job that was beyond her wildest dreams.
    After a short stint at the CSU library repairing damaged books, Lori was hired as a process operator by Hewlett-Packard, whose semi-conductor manufacturing branch became Agilent Technologies, then Avago Technologies, and now Broadcom. Broadcom is the largest semi-conductor manufacturer in the world.
    In 2004 Lori joined the engineering group as an expert research and development process technician. Her greatest accomplishments while there included setting up documentation for every new standard set by her R&D engineers and being the “owner” of the electron microscope document, with thousands of examples of what to look for at different stages of the semi-conductor manufacturing process. Lori continued her work there until her illness forced her to go on extended medical leave until her passing.
    Lori met the love of her life, Warren Ward, in 2003 while both were working in the clean room. They were married Feb. 14, 2011. They both enjoyed outdoor activities, camping, hiking and gardening. Lori’s love of flowers was inherited from her Grandma Prussman and mother, Virginia. Lori had a bit of heaven growing in both her front and back yards. Just like her grandmother, Lori had a special fondness for irises.
    Lori is survived by her husband, Warren of Fort Collins; mother, Virginia Prussman of Holyoke; brother, Bob Prussman and wife Janell of Fort Collins; sister, Shawn Edwards and husband Tom of Haxtun; father- and mother-in-law, Stan and Dell Ward of Arvada; brother- and sister-in-law, Russ and Joette Ward of Brighton, Michigan; sister-in-law, Noreen Ward of Arvada; and nieces and nephews, Kristin Prussman Stouffer and husband Rick of Fort Collins, Jason Prussman of Denver, Ross Edwards and wife Haley of Haxtun, Grant Edwards and wife Audree of Haxtun, Chloe and Jonah Ward of Brighton, Dominique and Tony Greco of Denver, Nick Greco and wife Danielle of Denver, Amanda Entzel and husband Eric of Arvada, and Ashley and Aubrey Salazar of Denver.
    Lori so greatly enjoyed her great-nieces and great-nephews. She was able to form a bond with each of them that meant the world to her. They include Leah and Amber Edwards and Knox and Otis Edwards, all of Haxtun, Jordan Stouffer and wife Caitlin and Peyton Stouffer, all of Fort Collins, and Jacobb Prussman, Guillian Greco, Trinity and Jessie Entzel, and Nova and Killie Salazar, all of Denver. Lori had one great- great-nephew, Breck Stouffer of Fort Collins.
    Her memorial service will be held Saturday, April 21, at 10 a.m. at the Haxtun United Methodist Church.
    In lieu of flowers, donations to the animal shelter of the donor’s choice are requested.