April 11, 1940 - March 25, 2022
Harless Ann Tilger (Monical) was born on April 11th, 1940 in Greeley, CO and passed away on March 25th, 2022 at the age of 81. The youngest of three children, Harless spent much of her adolescence at the Warnoco Roller Rink. She went on to become a phenomenal roller skater, setting several speed skating world records for her age group and winning gold at the Speed Skating National Championships in 1954, 1955, and 1956.
She would meet her husband to-be, Jim Tilger, at the roller rink and he would later propose after Christmas Eve midnight mass in 1958. After marrying, Jim’s military service took them to the California coast until they eventually moved back to Colorado to begin their lives here in their home state.
Harless and Jim had four children: Robert, Anthony, Linda, and Michael whom they raised in the suburbs of Westminster, Colorado. She joined many classes and took on various hobbies; gaining skills in ceramics, flower arranging, calligraphy, cake decorating, and more.
Marrying into a very large family in the Tilgers, Harless embraced them all and maintained lifelong friendships with many of her relatives, most of whom still live in the Northern Colorado area.
Harless was a member of the Red Hat Society, volunteered at church, and spent many years as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, among other various causes and charities. She enjoyed gardening, her golden retrievers, scrapbooking, spoiling her grandkids, and hosting many holidays, family parties and reunions. She saw countless baseball, basketball, hockey, and soccer games. She loved to laugh and watch her grandkids enjoy many “weekends at Grandma’s” over the years.
Harless and her husband Jim traveled often, taking road trips to all 48 contiguous United States and seeing numerous roadside attractions, campgrounds, museums, landmarks, and (likely to her chagrin) Air Shows along the way.
She was well known for her caring and welcoming attitude, goofy sense of humor, and for always having whatever anyone could need in her seemingly bottomless “Mary Poppins” purse. Harless always made sure that everyone was taken care of before herself.
Harless is preceded in death by her parents Gladys and Harold, and her brothers Jerre and Bob. She is survived by her husband Jim, children Robert, Anthony, Linda (Mark), and Michael (Mary); grandchildren Heather, Cassandra, Connor, Michelle, Trevor, Shane, and Adam; and great-grandchildren Kayla, Holly, Kylee, and Sarah. She helped raise many, and will be dearly missed by all.
A Viewing and Rosary will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, April 1, 2022 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church with the Mass of Christian Burial following at 2:30 p.m. Cremation will follow the services at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern Colorado or to Meals on Wheels in care of Kibbey-Fishburn Funeral Home, 1102 N. Lincoln Avenue, Loveland, CO 80537
