Paul Montgomery Tanner

On Thursday, May 11, Paul Montgomery Tanner,76, unexpectedly passed away at Sky Ridge Hospital in Lone Tree, CO, following a heart procedure. He went into cardiac arrest, and his heart could not be restarted.

Paul was born on February 7, 1947, in Denver, CO, the son of Dr. and Mrs. (Virginia Montgomery) Gordon Tanner, MD. He attended Jefferson County Schools and graduated with the class of 1965 from Wheat Ridge High School.

After high school, Paul took flying lessons, earned his Commercial Pilot's license and owned a small private airplane as he worked at Combs Aircraft Corp as a "ramp rat".

Paul enlisted in the US Army in 1968. After Army Flight School, he became a US Army Aircraft Commander (pilot) flying fixed wing transport aircraft. He served one tour in Viet Nam and one in Frankfurt, Germany. He was discharged in 1971 and maintained correspondence with various "Army Buddies" throughout his life until his passing.

In 1971, Paul started a garage door sales and installation business as a sole operator. He bought a duplex, lived in one side and rented the other. This was the beginning of his successful career in real estate. Paul enrolled at Metro State University and attended until 1975 at which time he graduated Magna Cum Laude, with a BS degree in Business Marketing and Management.

Paul married Lynn Crisman in March of 1973; their daughter, Kerry, was born in December of 1976.

Paul worked in real estate in Lakewood and surrounding areas. He became a broker, worked at sales, bought and sold homes. He later became the CEO of Warrior Development Company, Ltd. and began building commercial properties. At one property, Paul owned and operated a laundromat.

In the mid 1990's, after the passing of his daughter, Kerry, Paul sold his airplane and bought raw land in Elbert County near Elizabeth and named it the "Sunflower Ranch". He bought a John Deere tractor, built a barn and began raising Scottish Highland cattle. Paul expanded his agricultural interests into raising exotic birds, including ostriches and pea fowl, (peacocks). His female ostrich turned out to be a hermaphrodite, and the male was killed by coyotes. His pea fowl grew up and flew away. Next!

After seeing the movie, Hidalgo, Paul began raising Spanish Mustangs. At the time of his death, Paul's first herd sire, Dakotah Blue, is 33 years old.

Paul's beautiful wife, Lynn, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2008. Prior to that, Paul had suffered a heart attack and had been diagnosed with tongue cancer. After his recovery, Paul was the sole health care provider for Lynn until her death in 2013. Later Paul was diagnosed with skin Myeloma and prostate cancer. He beat cancer three times.

In August, 2015, Paul married Jan Tesar Owen. They enjoyed their horses, dogs and cats, traveling and social gatherings with friends. "Make and keep a few very good friends!"

Paul was gifted with a brilliant, mechanical oriented mind; his final coup d'état was the solo designing, construction and installation of a whole house solar system. He taught himself what and how to do it by reading and watching online videos.

Paul was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Lynn, his daughter, Kerry, his faithful dog, Louie, his favorite horse, Night Hawk.

Paul is survived by wife, Jan, one sister, Barbara (Scott) Hightower, various nieces, nephews as well as horses, donkeys, dogs and a cat.

As Paul would say, "MOLON LABE!"

Paul would want any memorials to be sent to an animal shelter in his name.

The Buddy Center in Castle Rock
Colorado Horse Rescue

Interment:
Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Staging area B,
July 13, 10:30 AM
Lunch Reception to follow