Ione Saulmon

May 11, 1914 - October 1, 2014

Ione M. Saulmon passed away on October 1, 2014, at the age of 100 years, at the Evergreen Gardens Assisted Care Facility in La Junta, Colorado. She was born, one of eight siblings, May 16, 1914 in Lamar, Colorado to Judd and Helen Bloyd. She married Floyd E. Saulmon on September 26, 1931 in Lamar, Colorado. She was preceded in death by her parents, four sisters, one brother, her husband Floyd and infant daughter, Debra Lynn. She is survived by: brothers, Robert Bloyd of Denver and Don (Alice) Bloyd of Fountain, Colorado; her children, Beverly (Fran) Merrick of La Junta, Jackie Brush of Lamar and Bob (Sally) Saulmon of Canon City. She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Marc (Jennifer) Chenault of Tucson, Arizona; Stacy (Ron) Padget of Fort Collins; Denise (Larry) Romine of Lamar; Missy Cusano of Granite Bay, California; Brad (Leslie) Brush of Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania; Michael Saulmon of Wiggins, Colorado; and Jennifer (Gary) Cosat of Canon City. Surviving also are twelve great-grandchildren: Nicholas and Sophie Chenault of Tucson, Arizona; Sean Padget of Fort Collins; Andrea (Collin) Meidell of Greenwood, Indiana; Jordan (Lindsay) Romine of Dallas, Texas; Jake and Carli Cusano of Granite Bay, California; Jared, Brody and Justin Brush of Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania; and, Caitlin and Wyatt Cosat of Canon City. Ione was a native of southeastern Colorado. During her early years, her family lived in Lamar, Rocky Ford, and Olathe, where her father dredged canals with his team of horses. They settled back in Lamar where they farmed just east of Lamar for many years. She used to tell of when they moved back to Lamar, they traveled by a horse-drawn hay wagon, and had to camp out along the highway at night on the way. She remembered her family getting their first car in 1924. Following their marriage, Floyd and Ione moved to Red Oak, Iowa, where Beverly, Jackie and Bob were born. Ione was a housewife and mother and Floyd worked for the Ford garage. The family then moved to Rocky Ford in June, 1942, where Floyd took over Leroy's Market on South 8th Street when his brother Leroy was called to military service. After the war, Floyd and Ione bought the store and operated it successfully until the late-1960's, when they semi-retired. Floyd went back to his first love, selling used cars, and Ione became a partner with her daughter in Beverly's Fabrics in Rocky Ford, which they operated for several years. Upon Floyd's death in January, 1993, Ione continued to live by herself in their home in Rocky Ford until she moved to Casa del Sol in La Junta in February, 2005. Then in 2009, she moved to Evergreen Gardens in La Junta. She continued to enjoy good health and reading books until just a few months ago when her health began to fail. Throughout her life, she was a devoted wife and mother and she loved to cook and sew. A graveside service will be held at the Rocky Ford Hillcrest Cemetery at 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 6th, 2014. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Ford-Ustick Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to www.fordustick.com.