James (Dick) Colwell, age 96, of Amarillo, died October 20, 2024, in Amarillo. A rosary will be said on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at 7:00 PM at Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S Georgia. The funeral mass will be on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 2:00 PM at St. Laurence Catholic Church, 2300 N Spring, Amarillo, Texas.
Dick Colwell was born to loving parents John Francis & Mary Ellen Lucinda (Mosley) Colwell in Aurora, Illinois on October 31, 1927. After graduating from Marmion Military Academy, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served in Cuba and the Korean War. After the war, he had planned on riding his motorcycle cross country but broke down in Amarillo, Texas. He liked the town and the people so much he decided to buy a house. When he purchased what would be the family home, his real estate agent asked if he was married, to which he replied, “I’ll be married by the fall.” And that he was. He became a police officer at the Amarillo Police Department. While on duty, he met the love of his life and the future mother of his children, a young Irish nurse named Kathleen Grogan at St. Anthony’s Hospital.
Dick and Kathleen were united in marriage on November 5, 1955, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Amarillo, Texas. Together, they had four beautiful children who they adored. In later years, Dick and Kathleen enjoyed traveling to see their children and grandchildren in the many different motorhomes Dick liked to restore and fiddle with in his retirement. They shared many cups of tea and 54 years of marriage together until Kathleen passed away in 2009.
Dick later reconnected with his high school sweetheart, Violet Moldovan Lauzen, through writing letters to each other. They were later married and great companions for many years until Violet’s passing in 2022.
Mr. Colwell is preceded in death by his parents, John and Mary Ellen Colwell, and by all five of his siblings, brothers William, Raymond, Francis, Bernard, and sister Mary Ellen Colwell. His father-in-law and mother-in-law, John and Mary Ellen (Coyne) Grogan, his brother-in-law John Grogan and wife Mary, sister-in-law Bridgette (Grogan) King and husband Roscoe, sister-in-law Christina (Grogan) Cantrell and husband Mark, and son-in-law David W. Bergin.
Dick is survived by his children: Mary (Colwell) Porubsky and husband Gary of Lafayette, Louisiana, Erin (Colwell) Bergin of Gruver, Monsignor Michael Colwell of Amarillo, and Kathleen Mary (Colwell) Del Cul and husband Bill of Canyon. Six grandchildren, Katelyn Porubsky and husband Matthew Ziemke of Philadelphia, Lauren (Bergin) Thorne and husband Jake of San Angelo, TX, Alexandra Porubsky of Lafayette, John David Bergin and wife Daralyn of Gruver, Deirdre (Harbison) Humphreys and husband Evan of Guymon, OK, and William Harbison of Gruver. Two great-granddaughters, Charlotte (6) and Evangeline (14 mo), Thorne and one great-grandson on the way, special family friends, and many beloved nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to BSA Hospice, either directly or through Schooler Funeral Home.
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
7:00 - 8:00 pm (Central time)
Schooler Funeral Home
Thursday, October 24, 2024
2:00 - 3:00 pm (Central time)
St. Laurence Catholic Church
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