Howard Eldon Stutzman

Howard Eldon Stutzman was born to Samuel E. Stutzman and Barbara (Slagell) Stutzman on August 17, 1929 in Hydro, Oklahoma and passed away on December 18, 2009 in La Junta, Colorado.
Howard was raised in Hydro, Oklahoma and attended Cedar Rural School. He attended High School in Weatherford, Oklahoma and Hesston Academy in Hesston, Kansas. Following graduation from Hesston, Howard farmed with his father for several years, did Voluntary Service in Gulfport, Mississippi and also Brooklane Farm in Hagerstown, Maryland where he worked on the farm and also as an orderly. It was during Howard’s service at Brooklane Farm that he was drawn to medicine and the healing arts.
In 1953 Howard began nurses’ training at Kansas City General Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri. The big event of July 17, 1955 was his marriage to Carolyn Frost (after first obtaining permission from the Director of the School of Nursing).
The next stop was Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas where Howard earned a Bachelor of Science degree before moving on to the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Howard obtained his M.D. in 1962 and served his internship at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colorado followed by a year of general practice residency at Tulare County General Hospital in Tulare, California.
Dr. Stutzman’s first practice was in La Jara, Colorado. Then in 1965, he moved with his family to La Junta, Colorado and established a general practice at Loma Vista Medical clinic where he served the community until his retirement.
In addition to practicing medicine, Howard was pleased to serve in many additional areas through the years. Howard has served as President and also as a Board member of the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center. He served as Chief of Staff for AVRMC. Howard served on the Community Health Council of the Colorado Medical Society. Over the years he helped in many community organizations such as Arkansas Valley Hospice, AVRMC Home Health, Arkansas Valley Resource Center, Board of Directors of the Colorado Boy’s Ranch and the first Board of the Girch Center (now Arkansas Valley Community Center.) He was a member of the Rotary Club and served as President. Howard volunteered for the Trails and Rails program of Bent’s Old Fort. He was an active member of Emmanuel Mennonite Church having served as Chairman of the Church Board and also as a Sunday school teacher. He was a member of the Board of Overseers of Hesston College, Hesston, Kansas and also was on the board of Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. He was a member of the Colorado East Bank and Trust Board of Directors.
Howard helped with the vision and reality of Casa del Sol Retirement Center acting as Chairman of the Local Board until 2007. The residents of Casa del Sol affectionately awarded Howard the title of The Lawn Doctor.
Howard is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carolyn; son, Mark (Diana) Stutzman of Westminster, Colorado; grandchildren, Ryan Stutzman, Dusten (Mary) Salinas and Tara Salinas; brother-in-law Richard (Marilyn) Waters of Weatherford, OK; sister-in-law, Alice Stutzman of Hutchinson, KS and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Roy and Myron and three sisters, Dorothy Mast, Ruth Miller and Lois Waters.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 29th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Peacock Memorial Chapel. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 30th at 2 p.m. at the First Church of the Nazarene. Reception will be held immediately following the memorial service at Casa del Sol Aspen Center. 
Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.


Contributions may be made in Howard’s memory to the Casa del Sol Special Projects Fund or the Stutzman Scholarship Fund at Hesston, College.