Eldon Reutter

Eldon Reutter died Monday, July 27, 2020 at Columbine West in Fort Collins at the age of 97.

Eldon, the son of Harry and Mary Reutter, was born Dec. 27, 1922 in Crab Orchard, Neb. Eldon attended a country school near Crab Orchard through the first grade, when the family moved to a farm four miles north of Sterling. He attended a country school near Sterling through the eighth grade.

Eldon graduated from Sterling High School in 1940. He attended Peru State Teachers College from 1940 to February 1943. While at Peru State, Eldon was a member of the United States Army Air Corps Reserves.

He was called to active duty in February 1943 and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from February 1943 through February 1946. He was assigned to the U.S. Air Corps Division in Florida. Prior to that deployment, that division was stationed in California under the command of General George Patton.

Following his honorable discharge, Eldon returned to Peru State Teachers College. He graduated from Peru State in May 1947.

He got a job teaching junior high and high school math and science classes at Syracuse, Neb., where he was also the head coach for football, basketball and track/baseball.

He next worked as a junior high and high school math and science teacher at Shelby, Iowa, where he met his future wife, Princetta Blakely, who was also a teacher for the school system. Eldon was head coach for the six-man football team and also head coach for the six-on-six girls' basketball team at Shelby High School.

Eldon married Princetta Blakely at the Methodist Church in Harlan, Iowa, on June 17, 1951. That fall, they moved to Manson, Iowa, where Eldon worked as a classroom teacher and served as the high school principal for four years. Their two oldest children, Harold and Diane, were born when Eldon and Princetta lived in that community.

He was the high school principal at Pisgah, Iowa, where his youngest son, Don, was born.

Eldon was superintendent at Monroe, Iowa, for six years. During his educational career in Iowa, Eldon earned his master's degree from Colorado College of Education in Greeley by attending summer school sessions. While serving as superintendent at Monroe, Eldon earned his specialist's degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Eldon became the superintendent at Haxtun. During his tenure, school district voters approved a bond issue for a new high school gymnasium.

Eldon served as superintendent at Haxtun for 20 years until his retirement, when he and Princetta moved to Fort Collins. They lived in a single-family home where they enjoyed tending rose bushes. They later moved to a patio home in the Peach Tree area. They eventually moved to The Winslow and then to New Mercer Commons.

Eldon was a member of the Kiwanis Club in Monroe, a member of the Lions Club in Haxtun, and a charter member of the Golden Gate Kiwanis Club in Fort Collins. He was a founding member of the Mended Hearts Club in Fort Collins.

He was an usher at First United Methodist Church in Fort Collins and served on several church committees.

Eldon and Princetta enjoyed attending Colorado State University football games. They also enjoyed attending performances at the Lincoln Center. For many years, they had a close group of friends who got together regularly to play cards, attend movies, go bowling and dine out.

Eldon and Princetta took several trips during retirement. They traveled twice to Europe, visiting Sweden, Norway, Denmark and St. Petersburg, Russia, on one trip, and touring Germany, France and the Netherlands on another trip.

Other travels included going to Hawaii and touring Alaska via cruise ship, train and bus. Eldon and Princetta traveled to Ecuador, which included going to the Galapagos Islands.

Survivors include his wife Princetta; children Harold and Verna Reutter, Diane Bell, and Don and Connie Reutter; grandchildren Colin Reutter and wife Catherine, Michelle (Reutter) Coplen and husband Derek, Kyle Bell and wife Jensyn, and Erin Bell and boyfriend Tyler Weihe; great-grandchildren Zoey Bell and Lucas Coplen.

Memorial donations are requested to First United Methodist Church, Fort Collins or American Diabetes Association in care of Allnutt Drake Chapel, 650 W Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526.