Edna May Achziger

It is with great sadness, but also joy in the Lord’s plan that Colleen, Ed, Linda and Carol announce the passing of their angel mother Rachel Edna May Achziger. Edna May returned home to her Heavenly Father on May 18, 2025.

Born on September 8, 1928, in Henderson, Colorado to Harley B. Walker and Laura Thelma Chambers, Edna was a cherished member of a large and somewhat rambunctious family. Edna was a bit more like her father, always having a quiet presence and a smile on her face. She truly balanced out the rest of her brothers and sisters. Edna was the fourth child of nine children: Lawrence (Hazel), Frederick “Bill” (Dorothy), Harley “Lee” (Pat), Louella, Marie (Lloyd), Roy (Judy), and two siblings who died just after being born. Despite the size of the family, they all remained close. The surviving children and cousins have great memories of large and loud family dinners, celebrations and time together. 

Edna attended school in Brighton Colorado. She loved reading and learning and inspired all her children to obtain as much education as possible. Always a hard, dedicated worker, Edna found work at the telephone company in the Fort Lupton/Brighton area at the end of her school career.  

Edna had many friends and 2 of them convinced her to go on a double date with them and a good friend of theirs. It was always Edna’s dream to have her family look more like a basketball team of 10 boys with blonde hair and blue eyes. The young man she met on that date – Edward Harold Achziger – had a full head of blonde hair and she had the most beautiful blue eyes. It was a match! They married in Brighton Colorado on November 24, 1949. Ever the practical couple, they married on Thanksgiving so everyone could celebrate the holiday and wedding together. 

Edna and Ed worked hard to support their extended and close family. In the early years of their marriage, they lived in Brighton near both of their families. They served each other by sharing caring for the elderly while the grandparents and great-grandparents helped to provide care for Colleen and Ed. Those were cherished times with many, many family legends created. 

Ed and Edna soon found their way to the Denver Metro area where they worked a variety of jobs while continuing to grow their family. Linda was born while they lived in Denver proper. Ultimately, they both ended up working at the Martin Marietta (MM) company – Ed in an engineering role and Edna answering the phones for the company. Work at MM caused them to move to their house in Littleton in 1958.  Carla also came along in 1958 and Carol (the caboose as she is often called) in 1960. The home in Littleton is the center of many memories of youth in the neighborhood and the entire Achziger/Walker clan!

In the 1960’s Martin Marietta lost government contracts and Ed and Edna were both laid off at the same time. This stretched the family, but with the kindness of friends and family, they were able to stay in their home and soon found new jobs. Ed at the Denver Mint where he worked until he retired. Edna eventually found her way to the Public Service Company (now Xcel Energy) where she worked as a phone operator, customer service representative and ending her career as the supervisor of phone services. 

Edna retired from Public Service Company in 1989. She wasn’t done working, so she worked several years at the preschool at Ascension Lutheran Church. Edna worked in the office and kept everything organized. She loved seeing the children and how much they learned and grew while there. This job was also flexible enough so that she and Ed could travel to see their children, Colleen (Ron) in Hawaii, Ed (Susan) in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado, Linda in Colorado, Carla (Washington state, Illinois) and Carol in Utah and Colorado. Ed and Edna also enjoyed traveling to Ed’s Fanshaw Bay (one of the boats Ed served on in WWII) reunions. 

The family hit a rough patch in 2006. Ed passed away from cancer in October that year. Carla was struggling with cancer at the time of Ed’s passing. Carla and Edna were able to travel together to Hawaii to visit Colleen and Ron for the annual trip that Edna usually made with Ed. Carla succumbed to her cancer in April 2007. Edna was heart-broken but she never lost her faith and found joy in her other children, grand- and great-grandchildren. 

One of Edna’s greatest joys are her grandchildren, Matthew (Riley), Stephen, and Laura (Ben). She just loved each one of them in the way only she could. Each one of them holds a special place in her heart and they know it! Imagine her joy when great-grandchildren came along. Matthew gave her Layla, Zoey (who sadly passed in 2016), and Sophia. Laura and Ben have three children, Harold, Eugene and Edna Mae (she was so honored to have one of her great-grandchildren named after her). 

Edna’s memorial service will be held on June 12, 2025, at 11 am, at Ascension Lutheran Church 1701 W Caley Avenue, Littleton, CO 80120. A luncheon of Edna’s favorite foods will follow the service. All are invited to attend. Edna will then be interred at Fort Logan National Cemetery, 4400 W Kenyon Avenue, Denver, CO 80236, with her beloved Ed. 

The family respectfully requests that no flowers be sent. Edna was truly a servant and would want any memory of her to be in service of others. Please make a donation to either one of the organizations noted below or take time to serve another in need. 

Ascension Lutheran Church Foundation or the American Cancer Society. 

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