Services are planned to help begin healing the hearts of those left behind by Sunday’s horrific pileup on blizzard-struck Interstate 80 in Wyoming.
Laura Graves, 40, of Conifer and children Kaleb, 18, Kelsey, 16, and Cameron, 14, were killed in the 22- vehicle accident.
They will be eulogized and buried Friday in Morgan, Utah. A memorial service is planned in Evergreen at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at Malmute Trail and Colorado 73.
Curtis Graves had joined his family in Utah during spring break but traveled home separately. He learned early Monday that his family perished in the wreck.
“In our church, we have a very strong faith that this life is just a small part of our eternal progression,” said LDS Bishop Mitch Layne. “One of our mottoes is that families can be together forever when this life ends, but that doesn’t do much to help with the grief.”
Patrick Guinn, 57, of Loveland also was killed in the accident. He apparently stepped out of his vehicle and was hit by two semitrailers.
Services for Guinn will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Allnutt Hunter Chapel, 2100 N. Lincoln Ave., in Loveland. Burial for the U.S. Navy veteran will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver. Contributions may be made to the Patrick B. Guinn Memorial Fund in care of Allnutt Funeral Service.
“He filled our lives with love and laughter,” his family said in a statement. “He may not have created the line, ‘I love you, man,’ but he made it famous.”
Layne said about 200 Conifer LDS church members began a 24-hour fast Wednesday night to show support for Curtis Graves and to help the community’s youths deal with losing friends.
Kaleb looked forward to his church mission in September, and Cameron was working on his Eagle Scout award. Both were avid basketball players. Laura Graves was a part-time dental hygienist in Littleton and was one of the young women’s group leaders at church.
The group was making quilts to give to needy people, and Kelsey had done most of the work on her quilt.
“It was sitting on the ironing board when I was over at the house on Monday,” Layne said.
Curtis Graves has been a criminal investigator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for more than 10 years, said Roger Gebhardt of the agency’s Lakewood office.
Contributions to cover funeral expenses may be sent to the Federal Wildlife Officers Association, Curtis Graves Family Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 646, Harrisburg, PA 17108.
Donations to assist the family also may be made to the Curtis Graves Family Memorial Fund at any Wells Fargo bank.
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
