Chester Henry Koons

Chester Henry Koons departed this life September 20, 2014. Chet was born to William Henry Koons and Naomi Rebecca West in Pattonsburg, Missouri on August 25, 1919. Chet was their second child and first son. Soon after Chet's birth the family removed to Augusta, Kansas to be near Chet's grandparents, John Henry Koons and Nancy Anna Pike Koons. Chet began his education in the Augusta schools, then the family removed to Muleshoe, Texas to be near Chet's mother's parents, Whitson West and Nancy Rebecca Canfield West. When Chet was seven years old his mother died in Texas. The motherless family returned to Augusta, Kansas, where Chet's father remarried to Charlotte Chisman Bruce and acquiring a step-brother, James Bruce. At age 14 Chet left his parents home to live with his grandparents, John Henry and Nancy Anna Koons in Texas County, Missouri. Chet graduated from Mountain Grove High School in 1939. Chet married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Arlene Barnes, daughter of Forest William Barnes and Hilma Evelyn Ottalie Swenson, December 12, 1939. Chet served in the Navy during World War II as a submarine tender electrician. After the end of the war the family moved to Colorado and lived at Peterson Field, east of Colorado Springs, where Chet was an independent electrical contractor. As the new electric power lines were built east of Colorado Springs, Chet wired many of the ranch and farm homes before accepting a position with the Intermountain Rural Electric Association. In 1948 Chet was sent to Woodland Park, Colorado as the district manager, a position he held until his retirement in 1971. After Chet's retirement from IREA he started his own residential electrical wiring company. Chet was a contract electrical inspector for Teller County Colorado. In 1999, at the age of eighty, Chet retired as electrical inspector. Chet involved himself in many community activities. Chet served on the Woodland Park School Board for many years. One his greatest joys was keeping the scoreboard for home basketball games.

Chet was predeceased by his wife, Ruth, grandson, Jerry Joe Watters and great, great granddaughter, Lylah Lee Patton, his sisters Florine and Pearl, his brother William, his step-brother James Bruce and his nephew Daniel Bruce. Chet is survived by his four children, Judy Smith(Jeff), John Koons(Jan), Jill Ebert(Doug), Janna Fruge(Ray), second wife Arlene Fenske Koons, sister-in-law Ardith Barnes Bruce, six grandchildren, thirteen great grand children and four great, great grandchildren.

Memorial Services will be held Saturday at 1PM on October 4, 2014 at Faith Lutheran Church in Woodland Park, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jun 3 2021, 9:51:55 UTC