Alma Louise Deruntz was born to Bernard and Pearl (Casteel) Morgan on October 22, 1930 in Chicago, and raised in Harvey, IL. She was predeceased by her first husband Bernard ‘Benny’ Tokarski and son Kris. She is survived by children Cliff (Lourdes), Debra (Michael), Jeffrey (Val), Kevin (Beverly), her husband David Deruntz and stepchildren Kim (Steve), David (Denise), and Scott (Brenda).
Alma, Ben and David all graduated from Thornton Township High School (IL) in 1948. Alma started working as an elevator operator at Marshall Fields in downtown Chicago. Alma and Ben married on September 2, 1950, raising Cliff, Debra and Jeff in Harvey. In 1959 they moved out to Central California where the family grew, adding sons Kevin and Kris.
The Tokarski’s landed in Bowie, MD in 1965 seeking new opportunities with NASA. Following work as a keypunch operator, Alma started in a new career field working as a Support Contractor at Goddard Space Flight Center where she advanced into management positions and worked many major space missions ensuring data reception from space. While working and parenting full time, Alma went to night school earning an undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Bowie State College in 1984. Continuing on she earned a Master’s of Information Systems and graduated Summa Cum Laude.
In 1995 Alma and Ben retired in Colorado Springs. After Ben’s death (1998), she married David in 2000, happily joining two families’ children and over 20 grand and great grandchildren. They enjoyed their retirement years between Indiana and Colorado Springs and occasional winters in Florida.
Alma was an accomplished working woman, from selling hot dogs at her high school football games, to fighting for equality pay in her professional career. She loved to dance to the Big Bands like Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey, Lawrence Welk, and enjoyed the lively arts. She had a knack for making her husbands blush, making the perfect birthday card and buying the best shirts for presents. She enjoyed traveling, boating, reading, eating Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs, watching NFL football and March Madness. Her mother introduced her to horse racing at a young age and the rest was history with our favorite gambler - taking your coins at cards and dominoes, and collecting the big bucks from the casinos’ craps tables. Most of all, she loved spending time with her ever changing family, sharing their challenges and successes, providing a foundation of hope and love.
Throughout her life, Alma was a strong, smart, independent woman; a cancer survivor; a sweet and humorous friend; a revered Mother and Grandmother, and an extremely loving wife. Dearly loved by her husbands; she was beautiful on the outside, with a soul to match. All who knew her were blessed.
Viewing will be held on August 13 from 4 to 7PM at Swan-Law Funeral Home, Colorado Springs, CO. The Rite of Christian Burial will be held at Corpus Christi Catholic Church on August 14 at 9AM. Internment will be private at a later date.
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