Molly Catherine Brubaker

Molly was born August 11, 1924, in Pueblo, Colorado to Paul Gray and Ida Belle Largent Gray.  She attended elementary school in Rye and Pueblo and high school in Crowley, Colorado.  After graduating from high school, she attended the nursing program at Otero Junior College.

On August 19, 1944, Molly Catherine Gray and Leland Brubaker were married at the Methodist Church in Pasadena, CA.  While Leland was serving in the Navy, Molly continued to live in California and work for the Railroad Express.  When they returned to Colorado, Molly taught at Numa School.  They moved to Alamosa to attend Adams State College where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in 1958 and her Master’s Degree in 1961.  While in Alamosa, Molly taught at the Alamosa Kindergarten, Waverly and Central Elementary.  In 1961, they moved back to Crowley where she taught in the elementary school for several years.  Another move took her back to the San Luis Valley where she was the librarian for the Sangre De Cristo School District.  She finished her teaching career for the La Junta School District where she taught at Timpas; was a librarian at the high school; and taught at Columbian School and North La Junta School.

Molly loved her husband and her family, supporting them in all their activities.  She was a loving, caring wife, mother and grandmother.  After her retirement, she traveled with and went to visit many of her relatives.  She substitute taught and was active in her community.  She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the Retired Teachers Association, The Republican Women’s Group and the Swink United Methodist Church.

She is survived by son, Tom (Karen) Brubaker of Swink; daughter, Mary Hobbs of Swink; grandchildren, Arthur (Kelli Jo) Brubaker of Ordway, Rochelle Brubaker of Arizona, Shane (Jennifer Johnson) Brubaker of Johnstown, Jennifer Brubaker of Brighton, Amy Hobbs and Jeff Hobbs of Swink, Jason Brubaker and Daniel Potts of Colorado Springs, and numerous great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and by her many friends, especially those at the Copper Kitchen and the Nursing Care Center. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leland A. Brubaker, her parents, Paul and Ida Belle Gray, her siblings, Richard Gray and Anna Belle Walter, and by her children, Mick and Zoreda.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Swink United Methodist Church or Arkansas Valley Hospice.

Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.


Funeral services for Molly Catherine Brubaker will be at 11 a.m. Friday, June 22, 2012, at the First United Methodist Church of Rocky Ford with Rev. Tom Dudley of the Swink United Methodist Church officiating.