TELLURIDE FOUNDATION MOURNS LOSS OF NEIL ARMSTRONG

27 Aug TELLURIDE FOUNDATION MOURNS LOSS OF NEIL ARMSTRONG

Neil Armstrong

With the death of Neil Alden Armstrong on Saturday, August 25, 2012, Telluride lost a friend and our country, a true hero.

Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission. His words, “that is one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind,” spoken on July 20, 1969, as he became the first person ever to step onto another planetary body, instantly became a part of history. (Source NASA)

Neil Armstrong has owned a home in Telluride for the past 11 years. An avid life-time skier and golfer, he discovered Telluride and purchased a home after being grounded in Phoenix during the commercial airline service suspension following the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. Armstrong and his wife, Carol, rented a car, drove to Telluride and embraced Telluride as their second home. He also became a committed Board Member of the Telluride Foundation.

Neil Armstrong was an American aviator and a former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, business man, university professor, and United States Naval Aviator.

“Neil’s accomplishments on both this planet and in space are well known,” said Ron Allred, former owner of Telluride Ski & Golf Resort and co-founder of the Telluride Foundation, “Joyce and I are fortunate to have had Neil as a close personal friend. He was interesting to discuss world issues or philosophy with; he was humorous, competitive and above all a sincerely humble person. Neil was like all of us in Telluride  – he understood and embraced the special essence of our community. Telluride will miss Neil Armstrong.”

A private funeral service will be held on Friday August 31 in Cincinnati. Another service will be held in the near future at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Neil Armstrong is survived by his wife Carol, two sons, a stepson, a stepdaughter, 10 grandchildren, and a brother and sister. From the family:

“The outpouring of condolences and kind wishes from around the world overwhelms us and we appreciate it more than words can express.”

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested contributions be made to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and/or the Telluride Foundation.

Donations made to the Telluride Foundation will be designated for the Neil Armstrong Scholarship Fund, providing scholarships to graduating high school seniors in Telluride, as well as rural high schools in the region (Paradox, Nucla, Norwood, Ridgway, and Ouray) so that enterprising young people are able to pursue further education in science, technology, engineering or math.

Checks can be mailed to:

Astronaut Neil Armstrong, mission commander and 1st person to walk on the Moon

The Telluride Foundation
220 E. Colorado Ave., Ste 106
PO Box 4222
Telluride, CO  81435

For questions or more information contact Paul Major or Katie Singer at 970-728-8717 or paul@telluridefoundation.org or katie@telluridefoundation.org.