Ann Stewart

Ann Marie Stewart passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at the age of 85, under the loving care of MorningStar Memory Care in Parker, Colorado. She spent her entire life rooted in the mountains and open spaces she cherished, leaving behind a legacy of quiet generosity, creative hands, and deep devotion to family and friends.

Born December 28, 1940, in Loveland, Colorado, to Paul and Marie West, Ann grew up exploring the state’s wild places. Backpacking, fishing, hiking, and skiing were not hobbies for her—they were simply how she lived. She carried that love of the outdoors with her throughout her life, remaining active in hiking communities in Boulder, Estes Park, and Tucson, Arizona. Along the way she formed lasting friendships that stretched far beyond Colorado. 

Ann enjoyed school and was usually the tallest in her class. At Boulder High School (class of 1959) she served as drum major and stayed active in their reunion committee. While attending Colorado State University she met Frank Stewart. They married on July 1, 1961, and built a life centered on family in Boulder. Together they raised their sons, William and James. In later years Ann and Frank retired to Estes Park, with many winters spent in Tucson Estates bordering the Sonoran Desert and Saguaro National Park.

A gifted craftswoman, Ann worked with fabric and yarn her whole life—sewing, quilting, knitting, and crocheting with remarkable skill and patience. She started and ran a small sewing business, and for years performed repairs for companies including Patagonia and Icelandic Design, continuing that meticulous work until she was 80. She also knit hundreds of beautiful baby hats for Margareta Horn Designs. In the 1990s she worked for Culver & Co. Prudential Insurance in Boulder. Her creative eye extended to photography; she captured countless images of CO and AZ landscapes, flora, and fauna, and was a member of the AZ Camera Club.

Ann’s greatest gift was her steady care for others. Whether they were family, friends, or neighbors, she was the one who showed up, listened, and helped. She volunteered at Flatirons Elementary in Boulder in the late 1970s and later gave many years of service at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson. Animals held a special place in her heart—especially the cocker spaniels who shared her home.

Above all, Ann dedicated her life to her family and to the wide circle of friends she gathered and kept across the country. She treasured time with her sons, their wives, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren, and she maintained deep, enduring friendships that spanned decades and state lines. Through shared trails, letters, phone calls, or simply showing up, Ann had a gift for making people feel known and valued. Those relationships were among her greatest joys and remain a living part of her legacy.

Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Stewart; her parents, Paul West and Marie (Lawrence) West; and her brother, Lawrence West.

She is survived by her sons, Bill Stewart (Holly) and Jim Stewart (K.C.); her grandchildren, Kyle Stewart, Rebecca Baker (Austin), Connor Stewart (Emily), and Anna Done (Anderson); and her great-grandchildren, Harrison, Nolan, Marceline, and Vivian.

Ann’s life was measured not in grand gestures but in the steady accumulation of care, craft, and connection—the kind of life that leaves the people who knew her feeling both grateful and quietly changed. She will be deeply missed.

In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make memorial contributions to the Rocky Mountain Conservancy.