People

: Gov Gruenler; Ernest C. 'Gov' Gruenler was born February 7, 1897 in Denver, Colorado, and arrived in Salida in August of 1929. He taught at Salida High School and was a football coach for 37 years.

: Grace (Harty) Kistler; Grace Kistler talks about her childhood in rural Missouri and Pueblo, Colorado, and about her four marriages. She also describes life in De Beque, Colorado in the 1920’s and 30’s, and her husband’s roll in the construction of the road through De Beque Canyon. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society.

: Grace (Hill) Wade; A long time teacher and housewife. Grace grew up in Cripple Creek, Colorado traveling annually to Denver, Colorado and Austin, Texas to see her family. She was musically inclined and an avid pianist. She was offered a scholarship to Julliard, which she turned down to begin teaching. She did, however, graduate from the University of Texas with a BA in History and a teaching certificate. She was a teacher in Cripple Creek for two years before meeting and marrying her husband, Troy E. Wade. She had three children: Troy E. Wade II, Norma Wade Bettinger, and William Norris Wade. Their family continued to live in Cripple Creek until WWII caused the mines to close. They lived in Nucla and ran a store for a short time before settling in Grand Junction, Colorado in 1958. Grace started teaching again at Grand Junction Junior High School that year, and did so until the East and West Middle Schools were built. She was the Chairman of the Social Studies Department at West Middle School. She retired from teaching in 1972. She volunteered at St. Mary’s Hospital as a Grey Lady for twenty-one years. She was a member of the Episcopal Church. She also belonged to a bridge club.

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