Theo Ertl, family matriarch and Colorado pioneer descendant, died in her home on January 6, 2015 at the age of 98. A strong and independent woman, Theo lived alone for 40 years after the death of her beloved husband Tell.
Theo Belle Harriet Hills was born November 12, 1916, in Bellingham, Washington. Her parents were Dr. Carl Clifford Hills, a graduate of the CU Medical School, and Della (Duncan) Hills, a schoolteacher in Sunset, Colorado. Theo’s great-grandfather, Elisha Duncan, built the Golden Gate Canyon toll road from Golden to Central City; her grandfather, John T. Duncan, was a miner in Boulder Canyon and the Ward area.
Theo earned a Bachelor’s in Physical Education from the University of Washington in 1938, and married Tell Ertl on graduation day. Theo and Tell moved around the country before settling in Boulder in 1960.
Theo was partner in and secretary for Tell’s various business endeavors, most notably his work in the oil shale industry in Western Colorado and later, his revival of Lake Eldora Ski Area, where Theo and Tell lived from 1967 until 1975. She was generally supportive of the sometime questionable decisions of her husband, children, and grandchildren.
When she wasn't baking her legendary pies, Theo distributed baggies of her famous peanut brittle to Eldora employees. She was an athlete who excelled at softball and skiing, and she participated in track & field in the Senior Olympics into her 70s. She loved bridge club, and was an arts patron and generous community philanthropist. At 85, she volunteered as a visitor to the homebound, folks she thought of as “old people.”
Theo is survived by her five loving children: Buff Palm (Art), Jill Ertl, Jann Ertl (Sandra Hollway), Twig Ertl (Nancy Grimes), and Rett Ertl (Tania); 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband and by her great-granddaughter, Mia Ertl.
The family expresses its gratitude to the caregivers who helped Theo this last year, especially Twig, who devoted most of the last three years to her mother. While no formal memorial service will be held, donations in her memory may be made to The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County, 1123 Spruce St., Boulder CO 80302.
