Dawayne Clayton Huartson

Dawayne Clayton Huartson, 74, of Aurora, CO passed away Tuesday July 20, 2021.

Dawayne was born to the late Clayton Cecil Huartson and Avis Nelson Huartson in Ortonville City, Minnesota on November 2, 1946. Cecil, wanting a better job moved the family to Lynwood, Ca where he got a job in the aircraft plant after WW2 and later owned a Mobil gas station named Huartson Associate Services. Later Cecil went to work for his brother in law at Gibbs Typesetting. This started to set the course for Dawayne's future profession.

Dawayne attended Lynwood High School and graduated in 1964. Born into a family of printers on his mother's side he was able to take a vocational printing course in high school and spent the majority of his working life as a foreman press operator.

Dawayne was drafted into the Army but was allowed to enlist in the Navy instead. We believe he chose the Navy over the Army because his father served in the Navy. He was deployed from 1966-1969 as a Hospital Corpsman 2nd class and served in the Vietnam war. After the war he was stationed at Long Beach Naval Hospital and would visit his family nearby. His mother Avis had a friend she worked with named Julie Abeyta and they were introduced.

Dawayne married Julie Abeyta of Holmon, New Mexico on July 16, 1969 in Los Angeles. They lived in Ridgecrest, CA and grew tired of the heat and desert and moved to New Mexico. They had two children, Chad and Crystil Huartson. In 1979 they relocated the family to Aurora, CO.

The marriage between Dawayne and Julie ended but the love and respect always remained. Dawayne continued working for various printing companies and in 1997 he was introduced to Penny Stephens by his sister Janice Lamar -Warner. A new friendship began. The friendship developed into a loving relationship and the two were married in a small intimate ceremony on their back deck on September 5, 2004 that was officiated by cousin Darwin Huartson. They were best friends and life partners from this day forward and bonded over fishing and camping on the Poudre River, heading up the hill to Blackhawk to gamble, traveling to Albuquerque to visit Lew and Jan Huartson, but mostly they hosted many family gatherings and bbq's on the deck. It was on the deck where the family came together, shared stories, and spent countless hours together.

The years passed and Dawayne learned he had Peripheral Artery Disease and was forced to have his left leg amputated in 2013. He fought back and learned to walk with a prosthetic at age 67. Devastation struck again in 2016 when he had his right leg amputated. At age 70 he was a double amputee and now learning to walk with 2 prosthetic legs. Despite the odds he pressed forward to maintain mobility. He had his car outfitted so that he could drive using hand controls. His family was in awe of his will to keep going despite his circumstances. He loved Penny, his family and the Rockies. He wanted to live and he did.

Dawayne was an active member of Christ the Savior Lutheran Church. He contributed to The Boys Town Organization and the Veterans Affairs. He loved fishing, hunting, trivia, sitting on his deck, tinkering in his garage while listening to the Rockies on his AM radio station, and drinking Busch beer. He was funny, welcomed everyone from every walk of life and was honest to God the best man any of us have ever met. He was the Best of the Best.

Dawayne is survived by his wife Penny Huartson, son Chad Huartson, daughter Crystil Ondrejko (Huartson), son in law Joe Ondrejko, granddaughters Ella and Olivia Ondrejko, sister Janice Lamar - Warner, nephew Jason Lamar (Paddi Lamar), step children Ann Benson (Scott Bensen), Eric Stephens, Amy Walter, Jody Ho (Mike Ho) and grandchildren Jessica, Taylor, Heather, Rachael, Katlynn, Noelle and Tanner

Special Friends that are more like family are Rosemary Warren and Darcee Sobraske.

Special thanks to Jim Sattler and George Reef for being Dawayne's neighborhood angels. Offering so much help and support and of course member of the old man's garage club.

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