Marna Lee Messer
September 19, 1967 - November 8, 2025
On September 19th, 1967 Marna Lee Messer was born to Marie Aleeta and Robert, a young Air Force Officer whose career kept her family life continuously relocating until the start of Marna’s middle school years in northwestern Florida. Her mother’s family management during this dynamic time included completing her own higher education while facilitating the family’s constant movement. Meanwhile, her father rose in rankings at the Force. Exposure to her mother’s leadership, father’s professional discipline along with regular new beginnings in different communities taught Marna resilience and people skills that transcended her life throughout adulthood. Her mother never met a stranger and that skill was instilled in Marna. Her father was never idle in his pursuit of excellence in professional accomplishment. Marna absorbed his example along with her mother’s into her own personality, blending the two into her own individual lifelong theme.
Throughout Marna’s primary schooling her dedicated hard work earned mostly A’s and if not, certainly B’s. She left her first round of higher education with two bachelor degrees, in both Arts and Science. She was the student with a double class load earning top marks while at the same time on a ROTC scholarship that included military training. In her final collegiate year, Marna changed directions and decided she would pursue civic service through education instead of military service.
She began her professional career in special education, learning to serve the developmentally disabled. Right from the start, she proved her students could do more than was thought possible. Possibilities were always a continuous theme in Marna’s work.
Later she would write, “My greatest dream is to always see the possibilities rather than the limitations. What would happen if gravity wasn't a thing? What might be possible if $ wasn't a barrier? Where could kids go if no one told them, "No, that doesn't make sense."?””
After a few years teaching high school, she returned to her own education and earned a Master’s Degree in Information Learning Technologies. Administration proved to be her calling. Building curriculum and pathways forward for both students and educators, she has been recognized by her peers, leadership and most valuable to her, the students. She retired in 2024 as the Director of Post Secondary Workforce Readiness for Jefferson County Schools.
During her work, she ushered in technology that was quickly changing education and improving the learning processes. Her success in her efforts led to partnering with industry and government, shaping curriculum to meet the needs of industry and creating opportunities for students. Marna’s work developing internships and work study programs resulted in Jefferson County offering graduates real opportunities in high demand and high tech industries.
Marna’s efforts focused on making things better for students. She was an inspirational leader that always shared the joy of success and received loyalty and dedication from all who worked with her. Marna’s long and generous career has been publicly recognized with numerous awards, accomplishments and accolades and her hard dedicated work resonates forward into the future with students and educators alike.
She met the man she would spend the rest of her life with during his final years of education while still in Florida. Shawn and his dog named Jody convinced Marna to join them on a great adventure to find themselves as individuals, as a couple and how they would spend their lives. They fell deeply in love and abandoned security and most belongings to embark westward without predetermination other than industrious adventure, they set forth with little material but more importantly, a hunger for experience and opportunity. They would not walk the common path but have joy and adventure throughout their lives together. Her father's concerns while watching their departure in shock and dismay have been replaced with envy and joy as the years have rolled by. Deciding Colorado would be their new home, Marna continued her career while always hungering for outdoor adventures. With her husband and dogs over the years, they continued to travel, camp and explore both Colorado and the wider Western United States as well as several parts back East. From slot canyons, to mountain tops and deep forests and the ocean coasts, Marna and Shawn continued their life of adventure with several best friends over the years, dogs Blue, Brindi, Alyce, Ruby and Stella.
As Marna approached retirement, plans for resuming travelling and adventure were made. Dreams of well earned enjoyment and relaxation were interrupted shortly after announcing her departure from Jeffco. Within weeks of her announcement, she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.
With this discovery and the physical limitations brought on by the disease and associated treatment schedules, the adventure was reprogrammed. Marna was not done and refused to give up hope. She was determined to live as full of a life as possible regardless of these obstacles. She wanted to put her feet in the Pacific before dying. With small trips to Utah and within Colorado to start, Marna and Shawn’s expertise in managing her increasing challenges kept pace with the affliction’s symptoms and they expanded their boundaries. Between chemotherapy treatments, Marna and Shawn struck out to California’s beaches, Washington’s Puget Sound islands, Oregon’s coastal beauty, North Dakota’s Northern Lights as well as Wyoming’s Devils Tower and South Dakota’s Black Hills.
As the cancer advanced showing continued loss of function and cognition and not knowing how long she had left, Marna requested a Celebration of Life. Lifelong friends, near and far, gathered to celebrate this incredible human being in the manner that Marna has always celebrated them all. A grand party was held in her honor.
She was widely admired and respected by those who worked with her daily and truly loved by those close to her. Those who knew her both in and out of the professional world, witnessed her profound intelligence, kindness, bright light of wit and humor and an unceasing hunger for experience and knowledge.
She was a woman who set high standards, fought fiercely for what made a difference for kids, and always made space for laughter and love. She was the kind of friend who listened without judgment, gave without hesitation, and stood up for what mattered.
Marna’s life has been, and continues to be, defined by love, purpose, and courage. She has lived fully, honestly, and beautifully — the color of sunflowers in full bloom.
She went to sleep during the full moon of November 5th and released from her mortal coil on the 8th of November, 2025 holding Shawn’s hand with their 3 dogs.
She is survived by her husband Shawn, father Bob, brother Will and Alyce, Ruby and Stella.
Donations
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Donate directly through Marna’s fundraising page here
Photos of Marna
