Christine Newbold Musselman

Christine Musselman Obituary

Name: Memorial service for Christine Newbold Musselman
Start: 2018-03-18T20:00:00.000Z
Location: Seventh Day Adventist Church

Christine Newbold Musselman, age 63, of Durango, died March 4, 2018 after a long bout with cancer. Chris was a fifth-generation Colorado "native" and attended Durango schools, where she had perfect attendance through 10th grade. She was an accomplished violinist and at a very early age played with the Farmington Symphony Orchestra (Durango had no orchestra) and as a guest soloist for other regional orchestras. She was a member of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls and a Rainbow Sweetheart. Chris graduated from Durango High School in 1972, where she was active with Chorus and the Grandioso Singers.

Immediately after graduation from high school, Chris embarked on a career with Mountain Bell (later AT&T and QWEST), where she had worked as a courier while attending high school. She worked for "the phone company" for nearly 25 years and assisted in opening of several customer relations offices at different locations throughout

Colorado.

Chris married the love of her life, Herb Musselman from Fruita, Colorado, in August 1982. The wedding took place at Chris Park, near Haviland Lake in the mountains just north of Durango. She and Herb enjoyed camping and photography throughout the mountains of Colorado and the canyon country of southeastern Utah. Chris was a caregiver for Herb during his several bouts of cancer, until his passing in 1997. She later provided care for Herb's parents. Chris was always at her best when she was caring for others.

After the death of her husband, Chris went back to college and graduated from Colorado Christian University in three years with a Bachelors Degree. She used her degree to teach freshman composition classes at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. She later moved back to Durango to be closer to family and went to work for the Social Security Administration, where she was employed until her illness. Chris was preceded in death by her husband Herb Musselman, father Jack Newbold, brother Scott Newbold and sister-in- law Cheri Newbold, all of Durango. She is survived by her mother Jolene Newbold and brothers Keith Newbold of Durango and Herb Newbold (Lynda) of Louisville, Colorado. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held Sunday, March 18, at 2:00 p.m., at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1775 Florida Road, Durango. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Columbine Christian Academy, 1775 Florida Road, Durango Colorado, 81301.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Durango Herald on Mar. 6, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for Christine Musselman

8 Entries

Richard Symmes

December 16, 2020

We met Chris when she was just 14 and working at her family's Camper Park in Durango. We were on a trip to ride the narrow gauge railroad to Silverton. We stayed at the park for two nights and got to chatting with her about the trains. Her dad had worked for the RGS RR years before. She agreed to send us any info on happenings at the railroad. We visited her again 2 years later and she invited us to stay in her home while in Durango. We kept in touch for many years. When she married Herb, we told her if they ever came east, to stay with us in Massachusetts. They did, and we took them on a tour of Boston and the North Shore. Treated them to a lobster dinner in Gloucester.
We kept in touch after Herb's passing. Chris wanted to come back to Massachusetts to visit us and have another lobster dinner. She was actively planning that in the year before her death. I felt it was too much for her, but she insisted she would do it! Unfortunately it never happened. Suddenly we didn't get any further phone calls from her. We called her mother and sadly learned Chris had passed.
While on our second trip to visit her, she and her mom and dad took us on a jeep ride over the old RGS railroad roadbed up in the mountains. What a great day that was. I have color slides of it! She called us many times during her illness and always was upbeat in spite of her suffering. What a brave lady she was!
RIP Chris!

April 2, 2019

Still thinking of you and our time together!!! You will always be in my head. Hope youand Herb are enjoying afterlife

Linda

Peggy Foster

January 11, 2019

I apologize, for being so very late with this condolence. Prayers, sympathies and hugs to Jolene and the rest of Chris's family. Chris and I were childhood friends, and while the last time I saw her, was nearly 40 years ago, in Grand Junction, I will miss her, knowing she is in a better place. Rest in peace, my friend.
Peggy Foster

Hoopa Parade 2018

Michael Robertson

December 15, 2018

Chris I love you always, I enjoyed the hours I spent with you cousin. I will be there to see you when my time is here.

Sofia

June 17, 2018

Chris,
I wish I was at your funeral. I will remember you from all those days we worked together. I remember giving you a very tight hug after you were diagnosed. I will remember your laugh and that last hug. My condolences to your family. I still can't believe you passed.

Violet Kelley

March 17, 2018

Sending loving thoughts and prayers to Jolene, and her family. I remember Chris as a compassionate person, who was always helping others. She encouraged me to help her serve meals at the local soup kitchen, which was one of my best experiences with Chris. I also enjoyed my long talks with Chris, who was a fascinating conversationalist. However, the thing I remember the most about Chris, was her great sense of humor and infectious laughter. There were times she would start laughing so hard, that I would laugh at her laughing, and then she'd laugh at me, until we both were crying from laughing so hard. Those were the special moments with Chris that I will always cherish. Rest in Peace, my friend.

March 12, 2018

My sympathies to the family. She was a very special person. I am grateful that I had a chance to get to know her! Jan

Lynn Wells

March 7, 2018

I am grateful for the time I spent with Chris. She was very ill at that time but we had a good long talk. She is at rest now. Love you. Your cousin Carol Lynn.

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