Lifelong Kit Carson County resident Gwendolyn Mae (Einspahr) Schlichenmayer went to be with her Heavenly Father on Friday, December 9, 2022, after a brief illness at the Lincoln County Community Hospital in Hugo, Colorado surrounded by her loving family. She was 85 years old.
Gwen was born on September 15, 1937, in Burlington, Colorado to Alfred Peter John and Minnie Lizzie (Arends) Einspahr. She was the oldest of three siblings born to this union. As a child she lived on a farm where she did many chores. She and her siblings would get the wagon and go pick up cow chips and corn cobs to burn in the wood stove. She always talked about how ornery her little brother was to her such as putting paste in her doll’s hair and having his goat chase her through the house.
She attended school in Stratton and graduated from Stratton High School in 1955. Gwen worked at Carper’s Café where she met the love of her life James Lester Schlichenmayer. They were united in marriage on December 14, 1957, in Bethune, Colorado at the Immanuel Lutheran Church north of Bethune. To this union three sons were born: Dave, Lester and Kent. Gwen was baptized as a child at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Stratton, Colorado. She later became a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church where she was a Sunday School Teacher for eighteen years. She was a member of the Ladies Aide that met once a week to quilt. She loved serving her Lord.
She enjoyed many hobbies including playing games, watching TV, putting puzzles together, doing crossword puzzles and word searches. She quilted and crocheted baby blankets for many of the family members. In her younger years she loved to help on the farm. She and her son Kent painted several pieces of farm equipment together. She also liked growing a garden. She was very active until her hips started to fail her. She was a great cook, and you could always count on dessert after a good meal.
Gwen was a devoted and caring wife, mom and grandma. She will be sadly missed by all who were blessed to know and love her. Those left to cherish her memories are her children; son Dave of Burlington, son Lester and wife Joanna and their children: Jeromie, William, Tosha, Ericha, Ashley and Samatha, son Kent and wife Tammy and their children Mickala, Jacob, Hannah, Nathan and Ethan, her sister Betty Hansen. She is also survived by twelve great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband of 52 years James Schlichenmayer, her brother Ronald, and her brother-in-law Ralph Hansen.
Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church, KCC Ambulance Services or the Lincoln County Community Hospital in Gwen’s name and may be left at or sent to Love Funeral Home, Burlington, Colorado.
