Lonnie Ray Nixon

Lonnie has been a well-known member of the Longmont and Boulder community since 1969 when he moved his family to Boulder County from Denver where he worked as business manager for the Record Stockman newspaper. It was this early exposure to the printing industry that started a lifetime of interest in the power of the printing press. After the Record Stockman was sold, he accepted a position with the Longmont Times Call Newspaper in their business and accounting department, and it was there that he developed his passion for the printing industry and a love for small town and college publications. He seized an opportunity to join forces to print Boulder’s Town and Country Review and from there he launched Intermountain Color focusing on printing and not publishing. He believed in free speech and communication and felt that small publications deserved a quality product with a fair operating cost that could help those organizations continue their mission. Over the next few years, Intermountain Color grew to print over 400 news-print publications that included 40 Colorado newspapers, five college papers, 45 high school papers and three national livestock weeklies. He was the owner, and chief executive officer of Intermountain Color, growing his company and business contacts with honest and fair cost estimating and delivery. These honest and fair business practices earned him the reputation for being one to deliver quality products, and often business negotiations were made with a firm handshake instead of a lengthy contract. Lonnie sold 90% of the company in 1979 only to be asked to return as CEO in 1983. Again, Lonnie was able to succeed in growing the company to a thriving and profitable printing operation. This second success earned him “Entrepreneur of the Year” for the Mountain States Region by Merill-Lynch, Ernest and Young, and Inc. Magazine. He was able to attend the national awards ceremony and was grateful to be chosen to represent Colorado. However, his most proud business accomplishment was the time he spent training start up printing operations in Romania and Bulgaria. In 1994 Lonnie was able to act as a consultant and travel to Romania and Bulgaria to train managers for small printing plants. The recent change in these countries’ policies allowing free press was in its infancy and the citizens needed help to start publications and printing. Previously in these and other countries there had been a ban on free speech and non-government printing plants. Lonnie’s passion for helping others succeed was part of his unwavering integrity and did not hesitate to step in and support these countries. He remained on the Board as a consultant for Intermountain Color for several years, only officially retiring around 2010 at age 75. In October of 2023 he was inducted into the Colorado Press Hall of Fame. He was aware of this honor but passed away before receiving his award.

Another area that Lonnie was passionate about was supporting young students in athletics. He became involved in track and field meets after his daughter Margaret began a successful track career in 1973. Rarely missing a meet, he befriended several track coaches and high school administrators, and over the years realized the need for a County wide track meet competition. In 1977, he founded and financed the first “Boulder County High School Track and Field Championships”. This meet was one of the first of its kind and became recognized as a qualifying event for state ranking. Each year he would choose an Honorary Referee for the track meet highlighting and recognizing an individual who has made a difference in the lives of others. These individuals could be a special coach or teacher who went above and beyond their routine roles in their profession. In 1999 Lonnie was named the Honorary Referee. Lonnie was not one to draw attention to himself or to be in the spotlight. His focus was always to inspire and invest in the success of others. Nevertheless, the meet was renamed to the “Lonnie Nixon Track and Field Championships” in 2018 where he was honored for his years of support. Next year will be the 47th year.

Lonnie was born in 1938 in Wichita Falls Texas, the youngest of 6 children. He was raised by his mother after his father deserted the family as an infant. He was the only sibling to graduate High School going on to attend Midwestern College in Texas with an accounting focus. Growing up poor in the south with deep segregation, and the experience of World War 2, shaped his lens at an early age in which he began to understand fairness, equality and character. As a child he experienced not having enough to eat and as a teen experienced continued inequality and segregation being poor. He worked as a child selling newspapers, picking up golf balls and collecting iron scraps for the war effort, and as a teen worked his way through high school working at the Boys Club of Wichita Falls. He was never without a job until final retirement at age 75. He never forgot his beginnings and has had no tolerance for discrimination of any kind. He has been described as having qualities of honesty, fairness, wisdom, and always offering support and guidance. Other friends and family have described him as generous, knowledgeable, kind, having a wicked smart memory, and the ability to be an entertaining storyteller. He had a plethora of hobbies that included music, woodworking, reading a variety of fiction and non-fiction literature, painting, sailing and travel. His interest in architecture inspired him to design his dream home 45 years ago in the countryside, completing much of the interior finish work with his woodworking skills. Never wanting to leave, he remained in this home until his death. It was at this home where he homed in his skills as a oil painter and was able to complete over 12 full scale oil paintings on canvas. These paintings were given to family members and friends, and oftentimes giving a print to a special physician who became his friend as he became “not just another patient”. His paintings were inspired by his family, pets, and Boulder County with beautiful landscapes that usually featured a dog in the picture. His specialty, as he admits, was his cloud formations. Lonnie loved trains and model railroading. Lonnie started modeling with small train scales early on, but after moving to his country home, crafted a garden G scale railroad. He realized how much fun children and adults could have with a garden railroad and decided to donate all of his supplies to an arboretum in Kansas. The Overland Park Arboretum in Kansas was overjoyed to take and create a wonderful garden railroad experience with the supplies. Please find out more information and view the arboretum which is amazing. https://www.opkansas.org/recreation-fun/arboretum-botanical-gardens/gardens/

Lonnie met and married Nancy Louise Moore in 1957. He described this time in his life as enjoyable and fun, even though times were tough. They had 4 daughters in four years as the first two were identical twins. They were married for 45 years when tragedy struck in 2002, and Nancy was killed in a fatal car accident. Lonnie has since developed the Nancy L. Nixon scholarship foundation that awards academic scholarships annually. His business skills have helped to grow this foundation so it will aid students for years to come. Fortunately, Lonnie was able to find love again by meeting Dr. Rebecca Turnbull-Nixon in 2005 and getting married in 2007. They have enjoyed their life together with their hobbies, traveling, shared interests, pets and entertaining. They have always had a warm and welcoming home for their family and friends. Lonnie’s daughters and grandchildren would like to thank Rebecca and express gratitude for all her kindness and the exceptional care and love that she gave our father.

Lonnie is preceded in death by Nancy Lousie Nixon (wife), Marsha Nixon Soukup (daughter), Alice Britt (mother) from New Mexico, and all his siblings.

Survived by: Rebecca Turnbull Nixon (wife). Daughters: Marilyn Maples (Littleton), Margaret Reiswig and husband John Reiswig (Loveland), Melinda Poland and husband Robert Poland (Colorado Springs). Sister-in-law Joann Knapp and Guerry Moore of Norman Oklahoma and Oklahoma City, (siblings to Nancy). Stepchildren: Will Warren and wife Kerry Warren (Greeley), Mike Warren (Denver). Grandchildren: Christopher Maples and wife Liz Hatfield -Maples, Jennifer Maples, Jonathan Rogers, Stephanie Spathas-Lacy and husband Johnny Spathas-Lacy, Mattew Soukup (Denver). Additionally, Lonnie has 4 great grandchildren: Jack, Henry, Gemma and Mila.

As a family we wanted to wait until his favorite season, as it took time to adjust to this new reality. His daughters Marilyn, Margaret and Melinda, grandchildren and Rebecca hope you can be with us to celebrate our larger than life loved one.

The family has arranged a celebration of life for Lonnie on April 19th, 11:00am. The location is Shupe Homestead outside of Hygiene.

An RSVP to this casual event is appreciated.

Rebecca Turnbull 970-231-5963

Marilyn Maples 720-833-8707