Obituary of Drexel Hornsby Cloos

Obituary Drexel “Red” Hornsby Cloos was born in Chatham Township, Pennsylvania, on December 28, 1921., one day short of his 100th birthday. He passed on his 100 th birthday. A big birthday was planned and we turned into a celebration of life at home. Like Red, himself, his story is bigger than life. At age 21, he enlisted in the Army Air Corp and began his journey of seeing the world. Soon he was stationed out of Polebrook, England, where he flew his 25 “Cloos vs Hitler” missions over Germany as a waist gunner on a B-17 flying Fortress. On his return, he was stationed in Pueblo, CO as a gunnery school instructor. In 1947 he went to Fort Collins, CO to attend Colorado A & M to study Finance, for several years. He then worked on the construction of Horsetooth Reservoir. He loved the Fort Collins community. He then started his long career in consumer banking at Securities Credit located at the Northern Hotel, where he met his longtime fly-fishing buddy, Kermit Wells. Red met Irene Heideman and they were married Nov. 22, 1950. They had two children, Jean and Bob, in the early 1950’s. Red left Securities Credit and went to work at the First National Bank in 1961 in the Consumer Loan Department. In 1970, he graduated from the Colorado School of Banking at the University of Colorado. Red retired as a Vice President in 1982. Throughout his long life, Red was an avid hunter and fly fisherman, excelling at both. He co-developed Boulder Ridge, west of Tie Siding. Continuing his adventures, Red started building his cabin at Woods Landing, Wyoming on the Big Laramie River just before his 80th birthday, a project that brought him great joy. He will be missed by the many who knew him for his outsized personality, his spicy jokes, his interest in new inventions and current events. Irene predeceased Red in 2014, and left to mourn his passing are his daughter, Jeanne Cloos of Fort Collins and son Robert Cloos (Lidia) of Castlerock, and many, many friends. His was a life well-lived, and he died well-loved. A memorial service to celebrate Red’s life will be held on Thursday, January 6, 2022 at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in Fort Collins at 10:00 a.m. with the Reverend Krista Diaz officiating. Internment services will be held on Tuesday, Jan 11, 2022 at Fort Logan National Cemetery. Staging B at 10:30 am. Memorial contributions may be made to the Food Bank of Larimer County. Services Memorial Service Thursday January 6, 2022 10:00 AM Saint Luke&rsquo!s Episcopal Church Funeral Service Tuesday January 11, 2022 10:30 AM Fort Logan National Cemetery, Colorado, Denver