Obituary of Howard H. Torgove

Howard H. Torgove of Cherry Hills Village, CO, passed away on August 23, 2023. Howard is survived by his wife of 63 years, Carol, his two children Lisa and Mark (Allison), his beloved grandchildren Zach, Alexandra, Samuel, Jackson and Annabelle. He is also survived by his brother Tommy, sister-in-law Terry Seiver (Alan), nephews Eric Seiver and Scott Seiver (Bryony), great-nephew Jules Seiver, brother-in-law Mel Lavitt (Wendy), niece Kathy Lavitt (Keri Griffith), great-nephew Ian Griffith, Meredith Lavitt (Chris Reddish), great-niece Whitney Williams and great-nephew Griffin Williams.

Howard was born February 20, 1938 in St. Louis, Missouri to the late Sam and Rose Torgove. The family moved to Denver when Howard was 10 years old and operated the Rockland Hotel in downtown Denver at 1435 Tremont Place. From an early age Howard worked the front desk at night, developing both odd sleeping hours and an instinct that people living in downtown Denver could someday be a reality.

He graduated Denver North High School in 1956 where he played Basketball and Tennis as well as being a standout handball player both in singles and doubles matches teamed with his father. He carried this love of playing and watching sports throughout his life as a devoted fan of every professional team in Denver as well as countless recreational, club and high school sports played by his children and grandchildren. If there was a game to watch, he was watching it…and recording it to watch again later.

After high school, he attended The University of Colorado, Boulder where he met the love of his life, Carol Lavitt. He graduated in 1960 with a degree in Business and started in real estate, eventually joining Fuller and Company even though he declined to cut his hair. After several years he and two partners opened Leo’s Place Restaurant on 16th and Broadway, a downtown hot spot for the business and political movers in the city. Upon its success, they also acquired the lease and opened The Wellshire Inn on South Colorado Blvd, turning an old, worn-down, golf clubhouse into one of Denver’s premier restaurants and then one of the city’s top event centers.

He loved skiing, singing and talking politics…often at the same time with ex-Presidents, Senators, Musicians and dear friends in Vail for over 30 years. When there was no snow on the ground he enjoyed playing golf - giving himself the nickname, “The Human Seven Iron.”

Howard cared deeply about local charities and served as Chairman of The Board for The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect. He was awarded the Chancellor’s Award from the University of Colorado’s Health Science Center and the Joe Sigman Memorial Award. He served six years as a U.S. Presidential Appointee to the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts. He was appointed to the Mayor’s Sports Facility Task Force; a member of the Governor’s Work Force Housing Committee; the Denver Art, Culture and Film Foundation, The Mayor’s Business Advisory Council; a founding member of Director’s Society of the Denver Center for Performing Arts; a lifetime member of Colorado University President’s Club; the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce; the C.U. Real Estate Council and the Council of Advisors, University of Colorado, School of Medicine. Sometimes he slept.

But what he enjoyed most was the time he could spend with his family: telling stories, discussing movies, songs, elections and spending every day trying to learn something new from a story in the newspapers and online. Two weeks ago he joined Facebook. Howard’s family is sincerely grateful for the time he was in their lives, his easy smile, the boyish twinkle in his eye, the custom altered lyrics to songs that he would launch into anytime, anywhere, and his unending patience and love. He will be dearly missed.

Services will be Sunday, August 27th at 1pm at Feldman Mortuary: 1673 York St Denver, CO 80206. Service will be live streamed via Feldman Mortuary’s YouTube channel. Burial to follow at Mount Nebo Memorial Park. 

In lieu flowers, the family requests you make donations to The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect.