2014 HOUSE MEMORIAL 14-1004 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Tyler, Becker, Buck, Buckner, Conti, Court, DelGrosso, Dore, Duran, Everett, Exum, Fields, Fischer, Foote, Garcia, Gardner, Gerou, Ginal, Hamner, Holbert, Humphrey, Joshi, Kagan, Kraft-Tharp, Landgraf, Lawrence, Lebsock, Lee, May, McCann, McLachlan, McNulty, Melton, Mitsch Bush, Moreno, Murray, Navarro, Nordberg, Pabon, Peniston, Pettersen, Primavera, Priola, Rankin, Rosenthal, Ryden, Saine, Salazar, Schafer, Scott, Singer, Sonnenberg, Stephens, Swalm, Szabo, Vigil, Waller, Williams, Wilson, Wright, Young, Ferrandino. MEMORIALIZING FORMER REPRESENTATIVE THEODORE EAKER. WHEREAS, Our respected former colleague Theodore "Ted" Eaker, a former member of the Colorado House of Representatives, departed this life on September 17, 2013, at the age of 91; and WHEREAS, Representative Eaker was born on August 13, 1922, in Denver, Colorado, to August and Frieda Eaker; and WHEREAS, Representative Eaker grew up in north Denver and attended Emmaus Lutheran School and Skinner Junior High, and graduated from North Denver High School in 1940; and WHEREAS, In 1942, Representative Eaker received an Associate Degree in business from the University of Denver and, that same year, joined the Army Air Corps, with which he served three years in the Phillippines, New Guinea, and Japan, and was awarded 12 combat medals and two presidential citations; and WHEREAS, Upon returning home, Representative Eaker met and married Betty Seiler, and they had five children: Phyllis, Peggy, Ken, Roy, and Tom; and WHEREAS, Representative Eaker later married Juanita Young and became stepfather to her son, Robert; and WHEREAS, Representative Eaker served as president of the family-owned retail dry goods and clothing stores "Eaker's" which, under his leadership, grew to 26 stores located throughout Colorado; and WHEREAS, Representative Eaker was active in his community, serving on the Board of Directors for Lutheran Tuberculosis Sanitarium as part of a team that converted it into a much-needed hospital to serve Jefferson County, now known as Exempla Lutheran in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and also served as a member of the Colorado Retail Council; Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry; Colorado Shippers Cooperative; Mountain States Employers Council; Industries for Jefferson County; "Spirit of '76", to bolster support for hosting the Olympics in Colorado; Lakewood Chamber of Commerce; Community College West Campus; Kiwanis; Lion's Club; the Board of Directors for North Denver Bank and Central Bank of North Denver; and on financial and stewardship church committees; and WHEREAS, In 1969, Representative Eaker helped to bring about a successful incorporation effort to establish the City of Lakewood and was then elected to serve on the Lakewood City Council for two terms; and WHEREAS, In 1973, Representative Eaker was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives to represent House District 23; and WHEREAS, Representative Eaker served on the Business Affairs, Finance, and Transportation and Highways committees; and WHEREAS, Representative Eaker was passionate about education and sponsored legislation to increase funding for community education programs and increase monthly payments to the state teachers' emeritus retirement fund, all of which proposals eventually became law; and WHEREAS, Representative Eaker's tenure in the General Assembly, as well as his life as a whole, was distingushed by honesty and enthusiasm in all he did; and WHEREAS, Representative Eaker brought people and businesses together, made communities greater places to live, and used integrity and wisdom in making decisions; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-ninth General Assembly of the State of Colorado: That, in the death of Representative Theodore Eaker, the people of the state of Colorado have lost a dedicated public servant and outstanding citizen, and that we, the members of the House of Representatives, do hereby extend our deep and heartfelt sympathy to the members of his family and pay tribute to a man who served his state well and faithfully. Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be sent to Representative Eaker's children and their families: Daughter Phyllis Kossa and her husband, Stephen, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and their children, Christine and Cara; son Kenneth Eaker and his wife, Debra, of Granby, Colorado, and their children, Scott, Kaitlin, and Tami; son Roy Eaker of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and his children, Emma, Zachary, and Theodore; son Thomas Eaker and his wife, Sue, of Arvada, Colorado, and their children, Laura and Daniel; son Robert Young and his wife, Betty, of Jamestown, Colorado, and their children, Sarah, Aaron, and Andrew; and grandchildren Melissa, Priscilla, and Casey Huston, of Thornton, Colorado. ________________________________________________________ Marilyn Eddins Mark Ferrandino CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF REPRESENTATIVES