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Our Legendary Locals

Jean Klein Angel Award

Jean Klein Angel Award

In 2009 when we were organizing the Historical Society, Jean Klein passed away.

If you were lucky enough to know Jean you would have known that she would always give you something when she would see you. One of those items was an angel. The angels we put on the plaques were given to us by the Klein family. So they were Jean’s Angels!

Jean was very involved in her community. She worked in her community as a Realtor for over 40 years (Jean’s Realty). She was involved with many organizations. She served on many boards and she was very active in getting our water cleaned up in Commerce City. Jean was President of the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District for 30 years.

So at the end of 2009 we were planning our first annual From Time To Time event for 2010, and we named our event awards the Jean Klein Angel Award. And she was one of the first recipients.

In 2014 we added a Business Awards category for our long time businesses in Commerce City.

In 2016 we added the CCHS Volunteer of the Year award to honor our dedicated volunteers.

The recipients that have made contributions of time, and talent to our city that have profoundly and positively affected our history.

In 2020, our Jean Klein Angel Awards celebration had to be cancelled due to COVID 19. In 2020, and 2021 we did not do our event.

In 2022, we changed the name to Legendary Locals and the CCHS Board of Directors select 4 people each quarter as our Legendary Locals.

A Commerce City Legendary Local may be identified by the following...

  • Remarkable, Extra Ordinary, Well-Known
  • Lived or worked in Commerce City and has made contributions of Time and Talent to our city
  • Distinctive accomplishments for Commerce City
  • Leaves an unforgettable impression on others
  • Has done things to make Commerce City a better place
  • Has profoundly and positively affected the history for Commerce City
  • Touched lives in Commerce City
  • Finding your role or calling and following it in Commerce City

Please stop by the museum to view all the years of our legendary people from Commerce City.

Jean Klein Angel Award Recipients

Jean Klein was a long-time resident of Commerce City who served on a variety of boards and worked tirelessly to improve the water in Commerce City. The Commerce City Historical Society honors people in the community each year that have made a profound impact on the city and residents in Commerce City.

2010

  • Mrs. Jean Klein
  • Mr. Larry Ford
  • Mr. Bob Hutchings
  • Mr. Hans Alfred Krogh
  • Mr. Lester Arnold and Mrs. Mary Arnold

2011

  • Mr. Harlow and Mrs. Shirley Leeper
  • Mr. Hal Rarick
  • Mr. Joe Gilas
  • Commerce City Rotary
  • Frank Nakagawa

2012

  • Commerce City Founding Fathers (Mr. Carl Horblit, Mr. Gordon Hutchings, Mr. Hans Alfred Krogh, Mr. Kenneth Gahagen, Mr. Herbert Hast, Mr. Earl Saurini, Mr. Floyd Templeton)
  • Mr. E.E. Casey Hayes
  • Mr. Leo Younger Jr.

2013

  • Mr. Norm Union and Mrs. Janet Union
  • Ms. Barbara Anne Jones
  • Mrs. Charlene Jaramillo
  • First Responders Award (Mr. Richard Watts, Mr. Harold Hubbell Sr.)

2014

  • Senator Bob Martinez
  • The Teter Brothers
  • The Commerce City Charter Convention
  • Kids First
  • Mr. Paskey Teto
  • Business Award – Hi-Lo Employees Corporation

2015

  • Mrs. Reba Drotar
  • Mrs. Lois Kimmes
  • CCHS Board of Directors
  • Mr. Bob Gehler
  • Business Award – Riggi Oil

2016

  • Mr. Carlyle Edwards
  • Mr. Kevin Phillips
  • Mr. Chuck Baker
  • Mr. L.C. Fulenwider
  • Business Award - The Deck Superstore
  • Business Award - Younger Brothers Lumber & Hardware
  • Ron Brown – Volunteer of the Year

2017

  • Ms. Loretta Garcia
  • Mr. Dale Mingilton
  • Mr. Russ Waterson, Sr.
  • Business Award – Commerce City Ace Hardware
  • Business Award – Murray Farm
  • Business Award – Suncor Energy USA
  • Harley Hall – Volunteer of the Year
  • Janet Union – Volunteer of the Year

2018

  • Al & Kathy Cordova
  • Business Award – Rocky Mountain Recycling
  • Business Award – Ardent Mills
  • Ron Brown – Volunteer of the Year

2019

  • Betty Pepin-posthumously
  • Timothy Moore
  • Business Award – United Power
  • Business Award – Commerce City Parks, Recreation & Golf
  • Business Award-Kids First Health Care
  • JoAnn Hardt – Volunteer of the Year

Commerce City Legendary Locals

2022

April-June

  • Ernesto Benito Martinez, Sr.
  • Rene’ Bullock
  • Sean Ford
  • Senator Dominick Moreno

July-September

  • Curt Holland
  • Jim Deden
  • Esther Hall
  • Maria Zubia

October-December

  • James Allen
  • Jennifer Allen-Thomas
  • Maria Gonzalez
  • Kevin Vincel

2023

Jan-March

  • Maria Carabajal
  • David Busby
  • Debra Bullock
  • Guillermo Serna

April-June

  • Gene Leffell
  • Joann Stevenson
  • Richard “Steve” Stevenson
  • Marilyn Krause

July-September

  • Dan Clark
  • Lanny Cook
  • Larry Lobato, Jr.
  • Rudy Bustos

October-December

  • Karen Osburn Castleschouldt
  • Sally McIntosh
  • Vi Vigil
  • Richard M. Vigil, Sr.

2024

Jan-March

  • Larry Lobato Sr.
  • Jackie Reynolds
  • David Rolla
  • Victor Rolla

July-September

  • Shirley Wilcoxon
  • Al Frei
  • Rudy Grant
  • Tony Valenzuela

October-December

  • Ken Koger
  • Abel Moreno
  • South Adams County Fire Department
  • South Adams County Water & Sanitation Dist.

2025

Jan-Dec

  • Lori Young
  • Arlene Castro