Dori Ann Van Loan

by Posted by Deb Moorland

Dori Van Loan

Dori Van Loan June 11, 1944 – February 24, 2012 Dori Van Loan passed away on February 24, 2012, at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado. Her husband, Jay, and her daughter, Traci, were at her side. She was 67 years old. Dori Van Loan was born on June 11, 1944, to Frances and Edward Stivender, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her early years were spent in Wisconsin, but the family later moved to Fort Thomas, Kentucky, where she finished grade school. After the death of her father in 1953, the family moved to a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio, where she graduated from Greenhills High School, in the top ten percent of her class, in 1962. She then attended the University of Cincinnati, traveled for a period of years, developed a career in computer education and product installation, then finished her degree in business, with a minor in accounting, at California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 1980. After graduation, Dori moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, where she met and married Jay Van Loan, of Glade Park, in 1983. After joining the Van Loan ranching business, she developed a computerized accounting and cattle inventory system. This information allowed the ranch to become efficient and progressive in breeding a superior cow/calf cattle herd, and also in developing a successful cattle embryo transfer program. She served on numerous agriculture-related boards and committees, including the Lower Colorado River Wild and Scenic Stakeholders Group for which she, along with her husband, was presented with the Landowner Advocacy Award by the Mesa County Cattleman's Association in 2010. She was currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Mesa County Weed Board and the Board of Directors of the Mesa County Farm Bureau. Dori is survived by her husband, Jay, and her daughter, Traci. She is also survived by a twin sister, Dotty, of Henderson, NV, and an older brother, Bob, of Wilder, KY. She is also survived by three nieces and four nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and two of her brothers, David and Frank. Her friendship and compassion was valued by close family, numerous friends, and many business associates. A memorial service is being held on Thursday, March 1, 2012, at 1:00 p.m. at Elm Avenue Baptist Church, located at 1510 North 17th St, Grand Junction, CO 81501, with a short graveside service to follow at the Glade Park Cemetery on Glade Park at 3:00 p.m. A friendship dinner will then be held at the Glade Park Community Services center. In lieu of flowers, please consider making memorial contributions to any of the following: Glade Park Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 23119, Glade Park, CO 81523; Glade Park Community Services, PO Box 23162, Glade Park, CO 81523; On the Park (Glade Park Community School), PO Box 23123, Glade Park, CO 81523 or supportonthepark.org.

Published in The Daily Sentinel on February 29, 2012