Michel Owen Conley died July 31 in Big Thompson Canyon, Loveland.
He was born March 13, 1946 in Corpus Christi, Nueces Co., Tex. He has been a resident of Colorado Springs since childhood. He attended Harrison High School and El Paso Community College from which he graduated in July 1976. While attending police science courses at El Paso Community College he volunteered his services to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, working in the identification and records section. Undersheriff Gary Gibbs said, "He was a super nice guy and we really thought a lot of him." He was a Baptist, and a police officer. He served in the Air Force during the Vietnam war.
On July 31, 1976, he and his wife were driving up the Big Thompson Canyon when the river rose quickly. A boulder had fallen onto the road so they stopped. Mike was an off-duty police officer and called the Colorado State Patrol to warn them not to let anyone drive up the canyon due to the treacherous conditions. He then told his wife, Phyllis, to climb up the mountain across the road from where they were staying in the Waltonia Motel in Drake on U.S. 34. Michel then went to help others get to safety. He lost his life in the service to others.
He was survived by his widow, Phyllis; grandparents, William and Birtie Kelly; son; cousins, aunts and uncles.
Pall bearers were members of the Colorado Springs Police Honor Guard.
Gazette Telegraph (Colorado Springs, CO) Aug. 8, 1976, page 4A
He was born March 13, 1946 in Corpus Christi, Nueces Co., Tex. He has been a resident of Colorado Springs since childhood. He attended Harrison High School and El Paso Community College from which he graduated in July 1976. While attending police science courses at El Paso Community College he volunteered his services to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, working in the identification and records section. Undersheriff Gary Gibbs said, "He was a super nice guy and we really thought a lot of him." He was a Baptist, and a police officer. He served in the Air Force during the Vietnam war.
On July 31, 1976, he and his wife were driving up the Big Thompson Canyon when the river rose quickly. A boulder had fallen onto the road so they stopped. Mike was an off-duty police officer and called the Colorado State Patrol to warn them not to let anyone drive up the canyon due to the treacherous conditions. He then told his wife, Phyllis, to climb up the mountain across the road from where they were staying in the Waltonia Motel in Drake on U.S. 34. Michel then went to help others get to safety. He lost his life in the service to others.
He was survived by his widow, Phyllis; grandparents, William and Birtie Kelly; son; cousins, aunts and uncles.
Pall bearers were members of the Colorado Springs Police Honor Guard.
Gazette Telegraph (Colorado Springs, CO) Aug. 8, 1976, page 4A
Michel Owen Conley died July 31 in Big Thompson Canyon, Loveland.
He was born March 13, 1946 in Corpus Christi, Nueces Co., Tex. He has been a resident of Colorado Springs since childhood. He attended Harrison High School and El Paso Community College from which he graduated in July 1976. While attending police science courses at El Paso Community College he volunteered his services to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, working in the identification and records section. Undersheriff Gary Gibbs said, "He was a super nice guy and we really thought a lot of him." He was a Baptist, and a police officer. He served in the Air Force during the Vietnam war.
On July 31, 1976, he and his wife were driving up the Big Thompson Canyon when the river rose quickly. A boulder had fallen onto the road so they stopped. Mike was an off-duty police officer and called the Colorado State Patrol to warn them not to let anyone drive up the canyon due to the treacherous conditions. He then told his wife, Phyllis, to climb up the mountain across the road from where they were staying in the Waltonia Motel in Drake on U.S. 34. Michel then went to help others get to safety. He lost his life in the service to others.
He was survived by his widow, Phyllis; grandparents, William and Birtie Kelly; son; cousins, aunts and uncles.
Pall bearers were members of the Colorado Springs Police Honor Guard.
Gazette Telegraph (Colorado Springs, CO) Aug. 8, 1976, page 4A
He was born March 13, 1946 in Corpus Christi, Nueces Co., Tex. He has been a resident of Colorado Springs since childhood. He attended Harrison High School and El Paso Community College from which he graduated in July 1976. While attending police science courses at El Paso Community College he volunteered his services to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, working in the identification and records section. Undersheriff Gary Gibbs said, "He was a super nice guy and we really thought a lot of him." He was a Baptist, and a police officer. He served in the Air Force during the Vietnam war.
On July 31, 1976, he and his wife were driving up the Big Thompson Canyon when the river rose quickly. A boulder had fallen onto the road so they stopped. Mike was an off-duty police officer and called the Colorado State Patrol to warn them not to let anyone drive up the canyon due to the treacherous conditions. He then told his wife, Phyllis, to climb up the mountain across the road from where they were staying in the Waltonia Motel in Drake on U.S. 34. Michel then went to help others get to safety. He lost his life in the service to others.
He was survived by his widow, Phyllis; grandparents, William and Birtie Kelly; son; cousins, aunts and uncles.
Pall bearers were members of the Colorado Springs Police Honor Guard.
Gazette Telegraph (Colorado Springs, CO) Aug. 8, 1976, page 4A
Gravesite Details
Buried: 8/9/1976 / Source: City of Colo Spgs Burial Info Online 01/30/09
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