Ethel "Delane" Gagen died January 11, 2020 in Colorado Springs, succumbing to the unmerciful disease of Alzheimer's.  Delane, known as Danie to her family because of her diminutive size, was born in Sterling, Colorado on May 2, 1937 to her parents Victor and Arlene (Taylor) Edson. The oldest of six children, she was raised in Brush and attended local schools.

In 1952, Delane married Delane"Pat"Miller . Together they had 3 children, Lonnie, Patricia, and David. They made their home in Wyoming while Pat worked in the oil and mining industry.  Pat died unexpectedly in March 1969, Delane and the children moved to Fort Morgan to be nearer to family.

After moving back to Colorado, Delane pursued many jobs to help support her young family. She was a store cashier, worked for Western Sugar in the tare house, a police dispatcher, a bookkeeper, and a small business owner/entrepreneur.  In her late 50s, she earned her Associates Degree in Early Child Education and was a teacher for Brush Head Start for a number of years. She loved her students and they affectionately called her Mrs. D. After retiring from Head Start, she was a substitute teacher for Brush Schools where she could see how many of her former students had grown.

In 1982, Delane married Edward Gagen, Sr. and they made their home in Brush until Ed passed away in 2014.  Delane moved to Colorado Springs in 2016 to be closer to her son, David, when her illness required full-time care.

Delane pursued many interests in her lifetime, never shying away from trying something new. Delane loved her church, Rankin Presbyterian and was an active member.  She was an accomplished seamstress, she loved to craft, cook and bake, especially at Christmas. She loved animals and cared for many pets through the years.  Delane liked to garden and work in her yard. She loved antiques: the hunt for them and then the reselling of them or adding them to her vast miscellany.  She was a collector of an array of things but was especially fond of her Depression glass collection.

Delane is survived by her daughter, Lonnie(Steve) Stewart of Chandler, AZ and her son, David(Colleen)Miller of Colorado Springs. Her grandchildren Julia(Daniel)LeClear of Mesa, AZ,  Laurel(Brian)Stone, Littleton, CO, Patrick Miller, Denver, and Kellen Miller of Cave Junction, OR and her great-grandchildren Thomas Gibson, Terance Gibson, and Jack, Leah and Haley Stone.

She is also survived by four sisters; Joyce Ford, Jackie Cordova, Carla Lassiter, all of Brush, and Vickie Wiederspan of Fort Morgan. Also surviving her are step-children Merle Hudson, Debbie Parrish and Doug Hudson, as well as several nieces and nephews.  Preceding her in death are her parents, her husband Pat, her daughter Patricia, her brother, Rick Edson and her husband, Ed.

A memorial service will be held in honor of Delane, Friday, January 17, 2020, 11 am at Rankin Presbyterian Church, 420 Clayton St., Brush, followed by a luncheon at the church. Memorial contributions may be made in Delane's honor to Rankin Presbyterian Church.

"The strife is over, the battle done, the victory of life is won