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VICKI L. JURGENS

Vicki L. Jurgens, age 65 of Fort Collins, CO and former Lodgepole, NE resident passed away Thursday, June 7, 2018.
Cremation has been held. A Celebration of life will be held at 10:30 A.M., Friday, June 15th in the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel. Friends may stop at the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel on Thursday, to sign Vicki’s register book and leave condolences for the family. Memorial contributions may be made in Vicki’s name to SRMC Hospice. You may view Vicki’s Book of Memories, leave condolences, photos and stories at www.gehrigstittchapel.com. Gehrig-Stitt Chapel & Cremation Service, LLC is in charge of Vicki’s care and funeral arrangements.
Vicki Lynn Jurgens, the third child of Donald Edward and Mathilda Margaret (Loebe) Howerter was born in Sidney, NE on October 25 1952. She grew up on the family farm south of Lodgepole where she had ample time to enjoy the outdoors and the farm life. She took the wild out of several otherwise wild animals, most notably raising a young deer until it got too big and rambunctious. Much time was spent being spoiled by her dad as he showed her and taught her the art of working on cars and farm equipment. She was able to hand her dad the right tool and the right size wrench in no time, something that is becoming a lost art. Vicki attended Lodgepole Public Schools having to ride the school bus for about an hour each way. On several occasions the bus would have trouble with the bad roads and on at least one occasion became stuck in a snow drift until help arrived. Once in High School there seemed to be better options, a driver’s license and a car and now able to drive herself. This brought the freedom to participate in school activities but the hazards remained, getting stuck on country roads or getting home past curfew and suffering the impending consequences. She was involved in several school activities including volleyball, pep club, band, chorus and cruising Main Street in her VW bug. This proved to be hazardous when she found out that the front of a VW could easily be lifted and put onto a small post, by friends no less. Not everyone was amused, especially her mom and dad. She graduated in 1970. She married Donzell “Joe” Headley after graduation. They operated the Chappell Jack and Jill, a ceramic shop and a food/snack shop including others. By this time they were blessed with two children, Donzell “Joey” III and Barbara “Buff”. Joey made his entrance during snow and blizzard conditions. After several more moves and while in Washington State, she helped Joe with his Schwan route. She was most proud of her rearranging the driver’s routes making them much more efficient. For this she received awards from the Schwan’s Company. For many years she did inventory work before starting her own inventory business along with operating the Panther Den and working at the School in various capacities. Yes, she was a busy girl, but probably the most important task she ever undertook was helping with her grandchildren, helping to raise grandson Dylan from birth. She moved to Fort Collins again in 2010 and helped her son run and manage one of his video gaming stores. Vicki became reacquainted with her current husband and love of her life Gary Jurgens , (who denies being one of those who set her VW on the post, but then how would he have known about it). Gary and Vicki were married on July 10, 2015. To this union no children were born but Vicki inherited a step-daughter, Kelsey Jurgens. She had at that time owned her own video game store in Windsor, CO. With Gary’s retirement, she closed the store and started an online ebay game store. This became an enjoyable endeavor for both, making many trips throughout Colorado and Wyoming to collect inventory to put online. A motor home was purchased and they took up the life of snowbirds. Winters in much warmer Arizona and summers tending to her love of flowers, a beautiful yard she did create. Several excursions to Lake Mac had to be made in order to satisfy her love of fishing. She threw back fish that were larger than any Gary ever caught, that’s an avid fisherman. She made and enjoyed many friends in Arizona, not skipping many of the gaming events the residents enjoyed. Maybe it was because she was the winner many times. Her Lodgepole Days were highlighted by the morning coffee gatherings at the Panther Den with friends. After moving to Fort Collins, trips and visits elsewhere were planned and they always included one day with the “Coffee Crew”, but two days would have been better.
She is survived by her husband Gary, her children Donzell Headley III of Spokane, WA and Barbra Headley Pitner Soucie Fort Collins, step-daughter Kelsey Jurgens of Fort Collins, her adored grandchildren, Zackeri, Kassidy, and Dylan Pitner and Karson and Kyle Headley, brother Gerald “Jerry” Howerter of Lodgepole, sister Donna (Jim) Haugland of Sutherland and sister-in-law Connie Jurgens of Rapid City and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Vicki was preceded in death by her parents Don and Tillie Howerter, mother-in-law Ilene Stewart, two brothers-in-law Leslie and Melvin “Ike” Jurgens and sister-in-law Elaine Bussinger.