Elizabeth Ann Gilpatrick

June 7, 1943 - March 13, 2026

Elizabeth “Liz” Gilpatrick was born June 7, 1943 in Milwaukee, WI, the 5th of six children and the only girl. Growing up in Sheboygan on the shores of Lake Michigan, nature was her playground. As a Girl Scout, her summers were spent camping and exploring both the natural world and music, singing with other campers. Her family was musical, and Liz was no exception. She sang, she taught herself harmony on the pump organ an older brother had scavenged, and she learned to play the trumpet while still in elementary school. In high school, the trumpet was traded for the horn, and she participated in every musical activity she could join, as well as debate and continuing with Scouting.

In 1959, an international Girl Scout Roundup was held north of Colorado Springs. Liz had a fabulous time meeting scouts from around the world and she was instantly smitten by Colorado and the mountains, vowing that she would live in Colorado someday. Graduating from high school in Sheboygan, Liz then moved with her family to Madison as her father took a job with the state. This fortuitous move allowed Liz to attend the University of Wisconsin, where she thrived and earned both bachelors and masters degrees in horn performance.

Seeking the mountains, Liz first found her way to Casper, WY, working for the Girl Scouts and serving as a camp director in the summers. A few years later, she migrated south to Boulder, CO, starting as a substitute teacher and eventually teaching music for many years at Heatherwood and then Coal Creek Elementary schools.

Liz enjoyed teaching, and in addition to teaching elementary students, she taught adult students for many summers, particularly about Orff Schulwerk. She traveled the country teaching in the summers, from Arizona to Alaska and Massachusetts, Texas and more. Her love for making music continued, and she became enamored of early music, studying recorder and playing skillfully with many groups over the years. She also wrote many books of music for young students and arranged music for her recorder ensembles.

Following her retirement from teaching, Liz explored new areas. She studied folk harp and its therapeutic uses, and she continued playing recorder with her friends. She also began weaving, something she had done a bit as a scout, but now explored with a passion, eventually owning several looms and making beautiful items.

In 1988, Liz met Stephanie Smythe, and they began a relationship that lasted until her passing. Liz moved from Boulder to Louisville, and their shared lives included cats (despite Liz’s previously expressed dislike of cats, she became a loving cat “parent”). The routines of daily life were accented by travel, including many trips to the west coast of the US, Alaska, Hawaii, New Zealand, India, Panama, the Galapagos Islands, Iceland, Scotland and Costa Rica. Further travels were curtailed as Liz developed issues related to vascular dementia, which complicated the last several years of her life.

Liz died peacefully in Louisville on March 13, 2026. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jules Irving and Emilie Kubicek Gilpatrick, and brothers Jules, Robert and James. She is survived by her partner Stephanie Smythe, her brother and sister in law Richard and Anthonette Gilpatrick, her brother Charles, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Water cremation was done by Be A Tree Cremation.

A celebration of life will be held at Acreage by Stem Ciders at 11:30 am on April 26, 2026. If you plan to attend, please let us know by email (liz.gilp@gmail.com) or voicemail (303-665-9338) so that that we can plan accordingly. It’s a celebration, wear comfy clothes and bring your stories and memories.

In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Liz’s memory with a charitable donation supporting children, nature or music.

Liz’s Celebration of Life

 

Sunday, April 26, 2026
Acreage by Stem Ciders
11:30 AM
1380 Horizon Ave
Lafayette, CO 80026

Please RSVP for celebration of life as soon as possible.  email: liz.gilp@gmail.com or text/voicemail at 303-665-9338