Howard Tekansik

Howard was born on May 25, 1944, to Georgia Alps. He was adopted and raised by Rudy Tekansik, the man he proudly called "Dad." He spent his youth in the Colorado towns of Leadville, Fruita, Palisade, and Grand Junction. At the age of 17, Howard joined the Navy in 1961. He re-enlisted after his initial term, serving his country for a total of six years during the Vietnam War. He was particularly proud to have served on a ship that recovered one of the early Gemini space capsules prior to the Apollo missions.

 Howard and his wife Cindy knew each other for 60 years. They were married on February 11, 1967, and were blessed with 58 years of marriage, raising three children together. The family moved to Kremmling in the fall of 1978. Howard worked as an Instrumentation Tech at the Henderson Mill (AMAX, later Freeport-McMoRan) until his retirement. He utilized the technical skills he learned in the Navy to manage the instrumentation and digital controls for all the equipment at the mill side of the mine. 

Howard was a man of many passions. He loved fishing, the Denver Broncos, and working with his hands. He was a talented woodworker who created beautiful clocks out of cedar tree rings that he cut himself. He approached his work with particular attention to detail. He wasn't a perfectionist, but he was a man who believed in doing it right the first time. He also had a need for speed and a love for fast cars. Howard enjoyed photography and he photographed many weddings. He embraced technology and spent hours editing photos and organizing digital photo albums.

His faith was the cornerstone of his life. One of his most important moments was becoming a Christian. Although he would never have called himself a preacher, many Sunday mornings found him behind the pulpit leading the Church of Christ from 1995 to 2015. He was particularly proud of the fact that he had the honor of baptizing his daughter and three of his grandsons. Above all, Howard loved his family, and his definition of family was generous. He and Cindy opened their home to act as parents for nieces, nephews, and even close family friends whenever they needed a safe haven. Many of these extended family members considered Howard and Cindy their parents. 

He enjoyed road trips to national parks and museums, hanging out with his grandchildren, and attending their veterans' appreciation events. 

Howard is survived by his wife, Cindy of Kremmling; and his three children: Shanon (Scott) Sabados, Trena (Chris) Rule, and Travis (Becky) Tekansik. He leaves behind a loving legacy of nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren: ● The Sabados Family: Grandsons Kodi (and his daughters Brelynn and Ari), Austin (and his partner Crystal), and Stetson (and his partner Kelly and their children Thor and Thaya). ● The Rule Family: Granddaughters Shawna, Shay (Paul) Zemba, Sheree (Rhyse) Rhoades (and their son Topher), and Shantelle. ● The Tekansik Family: Grandchildren Grace and Aaron.

A service to celebrate Howard’s life will be held at the Grand County Extension Office on Saturday January 17th, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.

 In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Kremmling VFW Post #9374 PO BOX 186 Hot Sulphur Springs, CO 80451