Edgar Daniel “Dan” Decker, 92, was born on June 10, 1932, to Edgar Thompson and Myrtle Josephine Christensen Decker in Sanford, Colo. He had two older sisters, Rhea and Josephine.
Dan was raised on a farm near La Jara, Colo., and attended schools there, graduating from La Jara High School in 1950.
He attended Adams State College in Alamosa, Colo., where he met his future wife, Wanda Lee Christie of Alamosa, Colo. Dan joined the Navy and later received an appointment to the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. Returning home, he and Wanda were married on Oct. 30, 1953. To this union were born seven children, Kenton Morris (“Ken”), Ronald Allen (“Ron”), Edgar Daniel (“Ed”), Kevin Brent, Nancy Louise, Eric Thomas, and Cameron Leigh.
Dan worked for a brief time in Alamosa, then he, his wife and son Kenton moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho, where he worked for the Atomic Energy at Arco, Idaho. Two more children, Ron and Ed joined the family. Upon the passing of his father in 1960, the family moved back to La Jara, Colo., to take over his father's farm. Dan ran the farm for a few years and later bought a backhoe where he went into the construction business for himself. It was during these years that Kevin, Nancy, Eric and Cameron joined the family. He later sold his equipment and went to work for the Soil and Water Conservation living in various places throughout Colorado.
In 1997, he married Loretta Ann Murphy Orton and they settled in western Colorado.
He is survived by his children Kenton Morris (Karen), Farr West, Utah; Ronald Allen (Sue), Montrose, Colo.; daughter-in-law Cheryl Decker, Phoenix, Ariz.; Kevin Brent (Chris), Arvada, Colo.; Nancy Louise Gilleland (Mark), Manassa, Colo.; Eric Thomas (Tara), Alamosa, Colo.; and Cameron Leigh (Jaime), La Jara, Colo.; sister Josephine Flores, Bountiful, Utah; and the mother of his children, Wanda Christie Decker of La Jara, Colo. Dan is also survived by 27 grandchildren and 50 great-grandchildren.
Edgar Daniel Decker, Sr. passed away on Nov. 25, 2024, at Heidi's Chateau Assisted Living Center in Montrose, Colo.
Dan was preceded in death by his wife Loretta, his parents, sister Rhea and brother-in-law John Seaberg, brother-in-law Lemuel Flores, son Ed, granddaughters Caitlin Sue Decker and Madison Louise Sparks.
Graveside services for Dan will be held on Dec. 7, 2024, at 11 a.m., at the Mesa View Cemetery in Delta, Colo.
