Arthur Treasure Jr passed away on April 25, 2023 at Life Care Center of Longmont, Colorado. He was 94. Born on September 13, 1928, in Del Carbon, Colorado, to Arthur and Racheal Treasure. The youngest of 7 children. Art’s early childhood was spent in the coal mining camp of Del Carbon and the surrounding Walsenburg area. Beset with the early passing of his mother in 1930 and the passing of his father in 1943, Art moved to Lafayette, Colorado in to live with his sister Margret Nace. Graduating from Lafayette High School in 1945. After graduation, Art joined the Navy where he served in the Pacific Fleet on the USS Thomas Jefferson at the conclusion of WWII and the beginning of the Korean War in 1950, earning both the Victory Medal and Korean Medal.
After his Naval service was complete, following the advice of his father, who instilled the importance of a good education. Art attended the University of Denver, then the University of Washington earning a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, 1956. Continuing his education at Eastern Washington College of Education where he earned his teaching degree. Art’s teaching career began in Washington, moving to Oregon in 1963, to Colorado in 1964 back to Washington in 1966 and California in 1968 where he stayed until 1973. He earned a certificate of studies of Hispanic American history from the University of Chile in 1966. It is here where he meets who would become is wife, Wilhelmina Moreau. Together they had a son, Michael, in 1967. Michael passed away in 1980 in San Francisco and Wilhelmina passed away in Switzerland in 1978. Art liked to travel. Moving to Africa in the mid 70’s where he taught English in many of the countries there. He has visited over 90 countries during his lifetime. He spoke several different languages.
After retirement Art returned to the Colorado. Living in Lafayette, Denver, Boulder and lastly Longmont. Spent most of his time reading and loved to share with others. He enjoyed taking small plane trips, caring of friend’s dogs, visiting foreign countries, and having people visit him. Many of his years, he was without family around, he would walk everywhere. Sometimes 10-20 miles a day. He thoroughly enjoyed meeting people, getting to know details of their families and their life’s. The people he brought into his life were Nurses, Doctors, grocery and restaurant employees or random people he encountered along his way. He seemed to build this extensive “Chosen Family”. Who he loved and cared about as if they were blood relations. Art had an incredible of memory of details. Art was a man who appreciated everyone and wanted them to know. Whether he said “Thank you” or by offering you some delicious chocolate.
May of 2018, with the diligent work of two social workers from Cathedral Plaza in Denver, they reunite Art with his nephew Tarey Treasure after not seeing him for 30 years. The whole Treasure family valued the important detailed information Uncle Art shared filling in much of the unknown family history. The Treasure family was abundantly blessed to intimately get to know and love this kind-hearted, compassionate, highly intellectual man. He filled our lives with intriguing journeys and adventures of his full life. The Treasure’s embarked on a Family History Road trip, spending time in Trinidad and Walsenburg visiting the remnants of the old coal camps where he and his family grew up.
Art was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Margrett, Jean and Hazel, brothers Jim, John and George. He is survived by many nieces, nephews and their families. The Treasure family plans to have a Celebration of Art’s Life this summer and lay him to rest in Trinidad.
