Pikes Peak region mourns several notable deaths in 2019
A rugged cowboy who also was known as the Marlboro Man, a revered Tuskegee Airman and fighter pilot, the co-founder of a signature tourist attraction and a longtime policeman who climbed through the ranks to become chief of police were among prominent residents of the Pikes Peak region who died in 2019.
They include:
Phillip Beckman, 62, Jan. 5. The former fire chief for the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department and longtime member of the department was well known in the community north of Colorado Springs.
Millicent Young, 96, Jan. 12. Among the first women to fly for the U.S. military during World War II, she and her fellow Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, performed stateside chores while their male counterparts trained for combat and fighting overseas.
Wallace “Wally” Erickson, 90, Feb. 17. President of the nonprofit Compassion International child development group from 1975 to 1993, he helped to more than triple the number of children helped by the organization and oversaw its move to Colorado Springs from Chicago in 1980.
Bob Hoff, 88, Feb. 25. Co-founder of the Hoff & Leigh commercial brokerage in Colorado Springs. In addition to his success in real estate, he was known for his business integrity, devotion to family and love of life.
Spc. Joseph Collette, 29, and Sgt. 1st Class Will Lindsay, 33, March 22. The Fort Carson soldiers were killed battling the Taliban in Afghanistan. Lindsay was a Green Beret, while Collette was a bomb-disposal technician.
William “Bill” Hochman, 97, March 23. Professor emeritus of history at Colorado College, he joined the faculty in 1955 and was closely associated with the school for 64 years. He was described as having a passion for teaching American history and served as a professor, department head, dean of the summer school and mentor to thousands of students, faculty and colleagues.
Russ Wolfe, 94, March 29. Founder of the Flying W Ranch, which began in the 1950s as a simple tourism business and grew into an iconic tourist attraction that celebrated and preserved the western way of life. The local landmark, which included a 400-seat rodeo arena and popular steakhouse that hosted weddings and other events, saw more than 6 million visitors before it was destroyed in the Waldo Canyon fire in 2012.
Wolfe also was a key figure in tourism, helping to start the Pikes Peak Country Attractions Association and the local convention and visitors bureau.
Forrest Gregg, 85, April 12. The former tough-as-nails Green Bay Packers offensive lineman, National Football League Hall of Famer and coach for three NFL teams was a Colorado Springs resident since 2001.
Sam Dunlap, 85, April 20. Dunlap played first base and outfield for Colorado Springs’ first all-black semiprofessional baseball team, the Brown Bombers, who fought for racial equality on the baseball diamond. He also was a father figure and mentor to countless local men, while devoting himself to serving the community’s youths.
Spc. Michael Osorio, 20, April 23. A Fort Carson solider, he died in a noncombat related incident while stationed in Taji, Iraq.
Charles H. Rockey, 87, June 16. The painter, poet and teacher was considered the godfather of the Manitou Springs arts scene. He did nearly nearly 1,000 paintings of his adopted hometown of almost 50 years.
Carlin Dunne, 36, June 30. The award-winning motorcycle rider and resident of Santa Barbara, Calif., died while racing during the 97th Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
Master Sgt. Michael B. Riley, 32, June 25. He died in a firefight in Afghanistan’s Uruzgan province; he was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson.
Sgt. 1st Class Elliott J. Robbins, 31, June 30. A Fort Carson soldier and member of the 10th Special Forces Group, he died in a noncombat incident in Afghanistan.
Dustin Cuzick, 36, July 11. He was a KKTV 11 reporter who had been with the television station for nearly a decade. He suffered from end-stage kidney disease and shared his battle with viewers.
Sgt. Maj. James Sartor, 40, July 13. The Fort Carson Green Beret died in Faryab province in Afghanistan after a firefight with insurgents.
Herb Beattie, 93, Aug. 25. The Colorado Springs opera singer, music educator, composer and popular voice-over talent worked alongside some of the greatest classical musicians of the 20th century, including Pablo Casals, Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein and Beverly Sills.
Monsignor Donald Dunn, 82, Sept. 5. A longtime Colorado Springs priest, he helped establish the Marian House soup kitchen in Colorado Springs and spent more than 50 years working for Catholic Charities.
Jerry Brown, 74, Sept. 23. A jazz drummer and guitarist who performed at The Broadmoor, Pikes Peak Center and other venues, he also acted in and directed theater productions and founded his own advertising and marketing company that produced TV and radio commercials.
Staff Sgt. Kelly L. Richards, 32, Sept. 25. The Fort Carson medic, part of the post’s 3rd Brigade Combat team, died during training in South Korea.
John Tagert, 86, Sept. 30. He joined the Colorado Springs Police Department in 1962 and climbed through its ranks to become chief in 1976 before retiring in 1985. During his tenure as chief, Tagert authorized an investigation into the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado Springs, which was documented in the 2018 Spike Lee-directed movie “BlacKkKlansman.”
Will Perkins, 91, Oct. 19. The prominent local businessman ran the Perkins Motors dealership for nearly three decades.
A devout Christian, he also became a controversial figure in the 1990s as chairman of a conservative group that authored a state constitutional amendment banning laws protecting gays from discrimination.
That amendment later was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Bob Norris, 90, Nov. 3. A rancher, businessman and philanthropist, he founded the sprawling T-Cross Ranch outside Colorado Springs; raised cattle and prize-winning quarterhorses; and oversaw a foundation that supported dozens of charities and held important roles in several rodeo organizations.
When advertising executives used Norris’ ranch as the backdrop for a Marlboro cigarette ad, they tapped the authentic-looking cowboy to star as the cigarette-smoking Marlboro Man.
He appeared in ads for a dozen years — even though he never smoked.
James Randall, 93, Dec. 9. A retired Air Force colonel, he was part of the famed Tuskegee Airman during World War II and a decorated fighter pilot who flew 75 combat missions during the Korean War.
He also served in Vietnam, where he was part of Operation Rolling Thunder, an early attempt to cripple North Vietnam’s fighting capability by destroying supplies and transport routes behind enemy lines.
His many awards and decorations included the Congressional Gold Medal, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal and Meritorious Service Medal.
Tom Miller, 73, Dec. 22. The longtime Air Force Academy assistant football coach worked for 23 years for the Falcons under coach Fisher DeBerry.
Flying W Ranch founder Russ Wolfe talks in the Winter Steak House at the ranch in 2005. Wolfe, whose Flying W Ranch became an iconic tourist attract that celebrated and preserved the Western way of life, died March 29. He was 94.
ABOVE: Bob Norris, Marlboro Man, appeared in ads even though he never smoked. RIGHT: Artist Charles Rockey was considered the godfather of the Manitou Springs arts scene.
Col. James Randall was a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen in World War II and went on to fly 75 combat missions during the Korean War and serve in Vietnam. Randall died on Dec. 9 at 93.
Charles Rockey stands outside his studio/home in Manitou Springs in May 2018. The Manitou Springs icon and artist died June 16 at 87. THE GAZETTE FILE
rich.laden@gazettedev.gazette.com
