Helen "Tug" Kroskob, 90, passed away Monday, March 23, at her home in Fort Morgan, Colorado. Tug was born Helen Elma Payton on Nov. 22, 1929, in Fairfield, Ohio, to Bill and Ruth Payton (nee Anderson) . She spent much of her childhood with her family in, Redding, California, where her mother and aunts ran a maternity home. She graduated from Chico High School in 1947.

Tug married William "Bill" Kroskob on June 14, 1957, and they started their family shortly thereafter. Bill was a United States Air Force pilot and Tug naturally took to her role as an officer's wife, raising her children and helping other young military families. Tug was a wonderful hostess, taking people into her home without hesitation. She never let friends or family go hungry.

The Kroskobs were stationed all over the world, including Okinawa, Colorado, Florida, Germany, Oklahoma and Texas. Bill retired from the USAF as a Lt. Colonel in 1974. He and Tug then returned to Fort Morgan to raise their children. They built the family home together, collecting the more than 6,000 bricks required from a demolished movie theater in Weldona. Tug and the kids painstakingly chipped the dried mortar from each brick, one by one.

This home would become a staple for the Kroskob family as it grew to include spouses, grandchildren and several lovable canines, all pictured in places of honor on the brick fireplace mantle.

Tug was a talented fly-fisherman and mushroom hunter, skills she showcased during the family's annual trips to Gunnison, Colorado. She was a seasoned golfer who enjoyed many rounds on the Fort Morgan Golf Course with her friends and family. She was a friend to many and a beautiful letter writer.  She was a perpetual observer offering insightful quips when she saw fit. She had a strong moral compass that guided her always toward integrity, dignity and compassion. She was patient and took things as they came. She showed love to those around her always, often with a gentle hug or a little squeeze of the hand.

As the years passed, Tug's memory may have waned, but these traits did not. She will be deeply missed.

Survivors include her children, Randy Kroskob (Jackie) of Tucson, Ariz., Katie Solondz (Michael) of Aspen, Gary  Kroskob, who lives in Wyoming, and John Kroskob (Rosie Stickel) of Greeley; grandchildren, Erin Ellis (James) and their daughter Lucy, of Big Timber, Mont., Tobi Kroskob (Greg Hanson) of Washington D.C., Maggie Loudenback (Andrew) of Denver, Catie Claire Kroskob, of Fort Morgan, and her mother, Cricket Redd.

Tug was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her brother William; her sister, Kay; and her parents.

No memorial service is planned at this time.