Tilden Estenson

Tilden (or Til as he was known to most people) was born in the small town of Windom, Minnesota to Knute and Hannah Estenson on January 2, 1938.  He lived with his parents and grandmother and grew up with 3 sisters (Charlotte, Eleanor and Kathy).  Since he was the only boy, his sisters all tried to “mother” him.  His dad died when he was young and his mother was ill, so his grandmother did a lot to raise him.

Til was interested in sports at a young age and was a talented athlete.  He excelled at multiple sports; basketball, baseball and football. He spoke fondly of the many coaches that encouraged him and influenced him in positive ways.  Sports helped provide the routine and structure he needed and taught him many life lessons.

Til attended and graduated from Windom High School.  After high school he was called to serve his country for 2 years in the U.S. Army where he was a Private First Class stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

He married Carol Glasshoff on March 17, 1962 and they had 3 daughters together (Sherry, Vicki and Lori).  Til was 82 years old when he passed away suddenly on August 28, 2020 and spent 58 of those years married to his beloved wife Carol.

Til and Carol lived in Duluth, Minnesota until 1972 when they moved to Golden, Colorado for better job opportunities and warmer weather.  Til absolutely loved the mountains of Colorado and took every opportunity to take visiting friends and relatives to see the beauty of Colorado.

Til worked at Adolph Coors Brewing Co. in Golden, Colorado in production operations for 30 years and both he and his wife Carol were able to retire from there.

Upon retiring, Til and Carol purchased a home in a golfing community in Arizona and moved to Tucson for a few years where they enjoyed the mild climate, warm temperatures, playing golf and traveling together.

In 2002 Til and Carol moved back to Colorado to the city of Grand Junction in order to be closer to their children and their 4 grandchildren (Jacob, Colton, Rachel and Riley).

Til was a proud, hardworking, private man who learned from an early age to be self-reliant.  He was a great provider for his family and enjoyed staying active.  Even after he retired, he kept busy with golfing, exercising, vacations, and ongoing home improvement/landscaping projects.

Til had a generous heart and never hesitated to offer his time, help or money to his family, friends or others he knew were in need.

He enjoyed watching sports, Country and Christian music, spending time with his grand kids and automobiles.  Til couldn’t wait to find the next “perfect” car for their next big trip or find the ideal “old beater” truck to just run around town with.  It became a kind of hobby for him and he had fun buying and selling, wheeling and dealing.

Over the last 11 years Til struggled greatly with many health challenges, but through it all he still maintained his unforgettable smile and humor.  His family and his faith were the most important things to him and he is now at peace and in the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Til was loved so much and will be truly missed.  He is in a much better place and we will see him again one day.

No services will be held, only a private direct burial for immediate family at Elmwood Cemetery in Fruita, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, please consider mailing a memorial contribution to Til’s wife Carol in order to help with all of his burial expenses:

Carol Estenson

380 ½ Cliff Rosa Court

Grand Junction, CO 81507