Emma K. Poulson

Emma K. Poulson of Sanford, Colorado passed away Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at the home of her daughter Linda in Farmington. She was 72 years old. Emma was born September 23, 1938 in Terry, Montana to Bertha and Nicolas Kolasky. At the young age of 3 she went to live with extended family in Comanche, Oklahoma and stayed there until 1956. As a young girl Emma excelled in sports and especially loved to play basketball and softball. As a freshman in high school she was asked to join the Varsity Girls team, which was a great honor for her. Education was also important to Emma who was a good student. English was her favorite subject. After graduating from Comanche High School in 1956 she attended Business College in Oklahoma City. In October of 1957 she married Joseph L. Poulson, a member of the United States Air Force, and spent the next 20 years traveling in the United States and Europe. She lived in California, Illinois and Montana and spent 6 years in France. In 1970 Emma and Joe retired to Sanford, Colorado, the hometown of his childhood. Emma worked for the Sanford Public School cafeteria for several years back in the days when school lunches were homemade. In 1974 she was hired by the Conejos County Hospital and worked there for the next 27 years. She worked as a dietary aide, the supervisor of housekeeping, activities director for Long-term care, director of Environmental Services and as a social services assistant. Many may remember the hospitals’ barbecue and health fair; during her years at the hospital she spent many of her off hours assisting in the planning and execution of that important fundraiser. In every area she worked, it was her top priority to see that the patients’ needs were met and their rights protected. She was a dedicated and devoted employee. Emma had a love of music which included playing the piano, guitar and more recently she experimented with the banjo. She could be heard playing hymns from the Baptist Hymnal and other classical music. Emma was preceeded in death by her husband Joseph L. Poulson (2003), and her sisters Jean Calame and Anna Schaak. She is survived by her daughters Vicki Cusick (Pat) of Versailles, Kentucky and Linda Stewart and (Paul) of Farmington; her stepson Joseph L. Poulson. Jr. of Montgomery, Alabama; also her grandkids Tara, Erin and Michael Cusick, Kristin, Paul, Kyle, Justin and Ryan Stewart whom will greatly miss her. Her cousin Royce Lumsden of Janesville, Wisconsin as well as many nieces and nephews and dear friends. Visitation will be held Saturday, January 22, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sanford, Colorado. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the church with Bishop Rodney Reynolds conducting the service. Interment will follow at the Sanford Community Cemetery in Sanford. Pallbearers are Paul Stewart III, Kyle Stewart, Justin Stewart, Patrick Cusick, Michael Cusick, Ryan Stewart, Paul Stewart and Alex Mestas. Honorary pallbearers are Joseph Poulson, Jr., Edward Calame, Harold Robinson and Johnny Mestas. Brewer, Lee and Larkin Funeral Home 103 East Ute Street Farmington, New Mexico 87401 (505) 325-8688