Joan Carol Trautman

Joan Carole Trautman was born on October 4, 1937 in Yuma, Colorado, the eldest child in the family of Emil and Iva (Cook) Trautman.  She grew up on the family farm in the Lone Star community.  When she was ten years old, she broke her leg in a terrible car accident.  After six weeks in traction at Children’s Hospital in Denver, she underwent surgery and was placed in a body cast.  The joys of modern medicine in 1946.  She only attended the first six weeks and the last six weeks of school that year.

She attended all 12 years of school at Lone Star where she graduated with the class of 1955.  Growing up on the farm, she drove the tractor, rode her horse, Cupid, and completed many 4H projects.  She joined the Yuma United Methodist Church in 1950 and had been a member for 72 years at the time of her passing.  After high school, she attended Colorado State College (now UNC) in Greeley where she majored in anthropology and social studies.  She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1959 and her Masters Degree in 1961. 

Joan began her teaching career at Lone Star before moving on to Platte Valley High School in Kersey.  She then taught at Southern Colorado State College in Pueblo for 13 years and then at the University of Wyoming for one summer.  After attending the University of Colorado for one year, she attended the University of New Mexico where she completed the course work for her doctorate in anthropology.  She did not complete her dissertation because her goal was to teach at the University of Northern Colorado where a dissertation was not required.  After teaching concurrently at Aims Community College and Front Range Community College for five years, she finally attained her goal of teaching at the University of Northern Colorado until she retired in 2009.

For many years, Joan would come home for wheat harvest and help her Dad and brother-in-law Kenneth by driving truck. Joan was always a fun aunt, and her nephews and niece thought it was especially cool to get to ride co-pilot in her Pontiac GTO convertible or Chevrolet Camaro Z28. 

After retiring, Joan moved to Yuma where she had plenty of time for her love of reading and watching the Colorado Rockies. She also had time to travel with her cousin Marilyn Workman to the four corners region and to Montana to the Little Big Horn. She truly enjoyed watching her great nieces and nephews grow up. Joan also got involved in the community. She served for a time on the Staff Parrish Relations committee at church, the board of the Community Cupboard and was chairman of the Lone Star Alumni Scholarship Committee.  

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, infant brother, Merle, brother-in-law, Kenneth Glenn, and twin great nephews, Jake and Max Nau.  

She is survived by her sister, Arlene Glenn and her family: Greg Glenn of Lone Star, Michael Glenn of Yuma, Curtis and Molly Glenn, children Ethan, Owen, Aden, and Madison of Lone Star, Nancy and Clint Nau, children Natalie and Clyde of Yuma, Jason and Cecileigh Glenn, sons Jack and Henry of Lone Star, a few cousins and a host of friends.  She passed from this life on January 24, 2022 at the Yuma District Hospital after a years long battle with aspiration pneumonia.  

A Celebration of Life Service was held on February 7, 2022 at 2:00pm at the fellowship hall of the Yuma United Methodist Church.  Memorials preferred.  Services handled by Baucke Funeral Home.

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