Obituary of Emily Ann Wenstrom

Emily Ann Wenstrom, age 69, died unexpectedly in her home on February 21, 2025, surrounded by her loving caregiver family.

Emily was born to David Dean Wenstrom and Carroll Dunning Wenstrom on August 15, 1955, in Pueblo, Colorado. She is survived by her older siblings: Carol Lynn Tollerson of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, John Dunning Wenstrom of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Mary Catherine Fiske of Walsenburg, Colorado. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, by her caregiver Adra (Angel) Hogeland and Angel’s husband Keith and their family, by the staff at Community Living Alternatives, and by the residential staff of the Jewish Group Home.

Emily lived on Pueblo’s northwest side for the first ten years of her life, attending Pueblo Day Nursery and Morton Elementary School through second grade. Her encounter with regular classroom education was not a success, her volatile personality causing her much difficulty with teachers and on the playground, so she was enrolled in the special education program across town at Parkview Elementary. At Parkview a wonderful teacher taught her to read and write, and books became a lifelong passion. The family home was on a bus line, and Emily became very adept at riding city buses. She once hopped on a bus without telling anyone, and no one knew where she was until the police located her at the bowling alley at Midtown Shopping Center—a trip that would have required at least two transfers from her house. Besides the hobby of bus riding, Emily taught herself to ride a bicycle and swim. She loved music of all kinds, and was born with a beautiful singing voice. Emily always loved finding library books that had musical notes in them.

The family moved to Denver when Emily was eleven, and she started attending a small school in southeast Denver. There she met Mrs. Dodie Hampton, the mother of her classmate Deedee. Mrs. Hampton invited Emily to Galilee Baptist Church, which had a Sunday School program called “Shepherd’s Class.” Emily loved attending and was a regular member of the congregation for the next fifty-five years, making many friends there. She completed her last year of formal schooling at South High School, hating every minute. Thereafter and for the rest of her life she participated in sheltered workshops and day programs sponsored by Laradon Hall, Shalom Denver, and Community Living Alternatives.

Emily entered a difficult period after her father’s death in 1981. She missed him dearly, while also facing her mother’s declining health due to cancer. Her mother’s final act of love before she died in 1986 was to arrange that Emily move into the Jewish Group Home on South Holly Street in Denver. Emily lived at the Jewish Group Home until its closure in 2020, developing close bonds with several of her housemates, particularly with Nora Fails, who was Emily’s boon companion for many years. The dedicated staff at the Group Home was present at Emily’s baptism at Galilee Baptist Church, and learned to be on the lookout for Bibles that Emily had quietly “pilfered” from church. Emily had a particular passion for Bibles and could never get enough of them.

Emily and Adra (Angel) Hogeland met during Emily’s last decade at the Group Home. Angel came to work there as a Group Home host, and Emily and Angel developed a special bond. When the Group Home closed its doors in 2020, Angel invited Emily to live in her home and became Emily’s full-time caregiver. By this time Emily’s health had declined, and medical appointments took up much of her time. Still, Angel ensured she could attend family events and enjoy several trips, which brought them both great joy. They loved singing hymns and praying together, and Angel always took her to McDonald’s after every doctor’s appointment.

Emily’s friends and family members all remember Emily’s friendly personality and her astounding verbal gifts. Thanks again to Angel and Keith Hogeland, Emily was able to meet with her brother and sister twice a week via Zoom. Emily concluded every meeting with a performance of “Silent Night.” She sang it a little differently each time, and she always brought it!

Emily will be greatly missed!

Service, Tuesday, March 11th at 12:00pm at Feldman Mortuary. Fellowship and light reception to follow at Feldman's. Interment at Olinger Hampden cemetery at 2pm that day.

Service will be live streamed via Feldman Mortuary's YouTube channel.