Rocky Mountain News (CO) - June 5, 1996
Deceased Name: 'BOOTS' VAN DERBUR, MOTHER OF MARILYN VAN DERBUR ATLER
Gwendolyn ''Boots'' Van Derbur played the part of Mama in the play I Remember Mama in the 1940s, and relished being a real mother as well.
''She always did nice things for people,'' said daughter Gwen Mitchell of Hillsborough, Calif.
''She tended to a lot of people in addition to her huge family. She was very caring and had a lot of friends.''
Mrs. Van Derbur died June 2 at Rose Medical Center. She was 88.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 6 at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 1091 S. Colorado Blvd. She will be entombed in Mount Lindo Memorial Park.
Born March 13, 1908, in Denver, Gwendolyn Olinger graduated from the University of Denver in 1929.
As a young girl, she wore cowboy boots, which earned her the nickname ''Boots.''
She married Francis S. Van Derbur on June 13, 1930, in Denver.
Mrs. Van Derbur, who met her future husband in a drama class at DU, was an amateur actress in the 1940s.
''She did civic theater performances at the Bonfils Theater,'' recalled Mrs.. Mitchell. ''She was known for playing Mama in I Remember Mama. She was a wonderful actress.''
Mrs. Van Derbur was a regular theater patron and had season tickets at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
When her daughter Marilyn Van Derbur was crowned Miss America in 1958, she was delighted.
''She loved being the mother of Miss America,'' said Mrs. Mitchell.
Another daughter, Valerie Horan of Denver dubbed her ''the best mother.''
She recalled how her mother tried to cheer up the family after their father died 12 years ago.
''She made sure we weren't feeling sorry together,'' said Mrs. Horan. ''We realized how lucky we were.''
She also loved to help others.
Mrs. Mitchell remembered that during her last visit to Denver in February, her mother made the rounds of the nursing homes to visit her friends.
Last year, Mrs. Van Derbur learned of a program helping the homeless through her church and established an endowment fund in her father's name.
''She lived a full life and did all the things she wanted to do,'' said Mrs.. Mitchell. ''We do not grieve for her. Rather than mourn her death, we're celebrating her life.''
She was a member of PEO, a Masonic organization, Central Presbyterian Church and the Cherry Hills Country Club. She also was a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority at DU.
In addition to Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Horan, she is survived by daughters Nancy Knowlton of Austin, Minn., and Marilyn Van Derbur Atler of Denver; 12 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1984.
Contributions: University of Colorado Foundation Research, 4200 E. Ninth Ave., Campus Box A065, Denver, 80262; or Friends of Sara Fund, P.O. Box 440590, Aurora, 80044.
Deceased Name: 'BOOTS' VAN DERBUR, MOTHER OF MARILYN VAN DERBUR ATLER
Gwendolyn ''Boots'' Van Derbur played the part of Mama in the play I Remember Mama in the 1940s, and relished being a real mother as well.
''She always did nice things for people,'' said daughter Gwen Mitchell of Hillsborough, Calif.
''She tended to a lot of people in addition to her huge family. She was very caring and had a lot of friends.''
Mrs. Van Derbur died June 2 at Rose Medical Center. She was 88.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 6 at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 1091 S. Colorado Blvd. She will be entombed in Mount Lindo Memorial Park.
Born March 13, 1908, in Denver, Gwendolyn Olinger graduated from the University of Denver in 1929.
As a young girl, she wore cowboy boots, which earned her the nickname ''Boots.''
She married Francis S. Van Derbur on June 13, 1930, in Denver.
Mrs. Van Derbur, who met her future husband in a drama class at DU, was an amateur actress in the 1940s.
''She did civic theater performances at the Bonfils Theater,'' recalled Mrs.. Mitchell. ''She was known for playing Mama in I Remember Mama. She was a wonderful actress.''
Mrs. Van Derbur was a regular theater patron and had season tickets at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
When her daughter Marilyn Van Derbur was crowned Miss America in 1958, she was delighted.
''She loved being the mother of Miss America,'' said Mrs. Mitchell.
Another daughter, Valerie Horan of Denver dubbed her ''the best mother.''
She recalled how her mother tried to cheer up the family after their father died 12 years ago.
''She made sure we weren't feeling sorry together,'' said Mrs. Horan. ''We realized how lucky we were.''
She also loved to help others.
Mrs. Mitchell remembered that during her last visit to Denver in February, her mother made the rounds of the nursing homes to visit her friends.
Last year, Mrs. Van Derbur learned of a program helping the homeless through her church and established an endowment fund in her father's name.
''She lived a full life and did all the things she wanted to do,'' said Mrs.. Mitchell. ''We do not grieve for her. Rather than mourn her death, we're celebrating her life.''
She was a member of PEO, a Masonic organization, Central Presbyterian Church and the Cherry Hills Country Club. She also was a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority at DU.
In addition to Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Horan, she is survived by daughters Nancy Knowlton of Austin, Minn., and Marilyn Van Derbur Atler of Denver; 12 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1984.
Contributions: University of Colorado Foundation Research, 4200 E. Ninth Ave., Campus Box A065, Denver, 80262; or Friends of Sara Fund, P.O. Box 440590, Aurora, 80044.
Rocky Mountain News (CO) - June 5, 1996
Deceased Name: 'BOOTS' VAN DERBUR, MOTHER OF MARILYN VAN DERBUR ATLER
Gwendolyn ''Boots'' Van Derbur played the part of Mama in the play I Remember Mama in the 1940s, and relished being a real mother as well.
''She always did nice things for people,'' said daughter Gwen Mitchell of Hillsborough, Calif.
''She tended to a lot of people in addition to her huge family. She was very caring and had a lot of friends.''
Mrs. Van Derbur died June 2 at Rose Medical Center. She was 88.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 6 at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 1091 S. Colorado Blvd. She will be entombed in Mount Lindo Memorial Park.
Born March 13, 1908, in Denver, Gwendolyn Olinger graduated from the University of Denver in 1929.
As a young girl, she wore cowboy boots, which earned her the nickname ''Boots.''
She married Francis S. Van Derbur on June 13, 1930, in Denver.
Mrs. Van Derbur, who met her future husband in a drama class at DU, was an amateur actress in the 1940s.
''She did civic theater performances at the Bonfils Theater,'' recalled Mrs.. Mitchell. ''She was known for playing Mama in I Remember Mama. She was a wonderful actress.''
Mrs. Van Derbur was a regular theater patron and had season tickets at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
When her daughter Marilyn Van Derbur was crowned Miss America in 1958, she was delighted.
''She loved being the mother of Miss America,'' said Mrs. Mitchell.
Another daughter, Valerie Horan of Denver dubbed her ''the best mother.''
She recalled how her mother tried to cheer up the family after their father died 12 years ago.
''She made sure we weren't feeling sorry together,'' said Mrs. Horan. ''We realized how lucky we were.''
She also loved to help others.
Mrs. Mitchell remembered that during her last visit to Denver in February, her mother made the rounds of the nursing homes to visit her friends.
Last year, Mrs. Van Derbur learned of a program helping the homeless through her church and established an endowment fund in her father's name.
''She lived a full life and did all the things she wanted to do,'' said Mrs.. Mitchell. ''We do not grieve for her. Rather than mourn her death, we're celebrating her life.''
She was a member of PEO, a Masonic organization, Central Presbyterian Church and the Cherry Hills Country Club. She also was a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority at DU.
In addition to Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Horan, she is survived by daughters Nancy Knowlton of Austin, Minn., and Marilyn Van Derbur Atler of Denver; 12 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1984.
Contributions: University of Colorado Foundation Research, 4200 E. Ninth Ave., Campus Box A065, Denver, 80262; or Friends of Sara Fund, P.O. Box 440590, Aurora, 80044.
Deceased Name: 'BOOTS' VAN DERBUR, MOTHER OF MARILYN VAN DERBUR ATLER
Gwendolyn ''Boots'' Van Derbur played the part of Mama in the play I Remember Mama in the 1940s, and relished being a real mother as well.
''She always did nice things for people,'' said daughter Gwen Mitchell of Hillsborough, Calif.
''She tended to a lot of people in addition to her huge family. She was very caring and had a lot of friends.''
Mrs. Van Derbur died June 2 at Rose Medical Center. She was 88.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 6 at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 1091 S. Colorado Blvd. She will be entombed in Mount Lindo Memorial Park.
Born March 13, 1908, in Denver, Gwendolyn Olinger graduated from the University of Denver in 1929.
As a young girl, she wore cowboy boots, which earned her the nickname ''Boots.''
She married Francis S. Van Derbur on June 13, 1930, in Denver.
Mrs. Van Derbur, who met her future husband in a drama class at DU, was an amateur actress in the 1940s.
''She did civic theater performances at the Bonfils Theater,'' recalled Mrs.. Mitchell. ''She was known for playing Mama in I Remember Mama. She was a wonderful actress.''
Mrs. Van Derbur was a regular theater patron and had season tickets at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
When her daughter Marilyn Van Derbur was crowned Miss America in 1958, she was delighted.
''She loved being the mother of Miss America,'' said Mrs. Mitchell.
Another daughter, Valerie Horan of Denver dubbed her ''the best mother.''
She recalled how her mother tried to cheer up the family after their father died 12 years ago.
''She made sure we weren't feeling sorry together,'' said Mrs. Horan. ''We realized how lucky we were.''
She also loved to help others.
Mrs. Mitchell remembered that during her last visit to Denver in February, her mother made the rounds of the nursing homes to visit her friends.
Last year, Mrs. Van Derbur learned of a program helping the homeless through her church and established an endowment fund in her father's name.
''She lived a full life and did all the things she wanted to do,'' said Mrs.. Mitchell. ''We do not grieve for her. Rather than mourn her death, we're celebrating her life.''
She was a member of PEO, a Masonic organization, Central Presbyterian Church and the Cherry Hills Country Club. She also was a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority at DU.
In addition to Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Horan, she is survived by daughters Nancy Knowlton of Austin, Minn., and Marilyn Van Derbur Atler of Denver; 12 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1984.
Contributions: University of Colorado Foundation Research, 4200 E. Ninth Ave., Campus Box A065, Denver, 80262; or Friends of Sara Fund, P.O. Box 440590, Aurora, 80044.
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See more Van Derbur or Olinger memorials in:
- Mount Lindo Cemetery Van Derbur or Olinger
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- Jefferson County Van Derbur or Olinger
- Colorado Van Derbur or Olinger
- USA Van Derbur or Olinger
- Find a Grave Van Derbur or Olinger
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