Roaring Fork Valley Matriarch Nancy Ureche Dies at 71

Glenwood Springs —What does it mean for a local family when the matriarch of a long-standing Roaring Fork Valley household passes away?

For Nancy K. Ureche, who died on December 31, 2025, the answer was written in the geography of her life. She didn’t just live in Glenwood Springs; she helped build it, one line of work and one house at a time.

Nancy was born in Saginaw, Michigan, on April 18, 1954. She met Peter there while he was in the military. When he deployed, she went to college and waited. He returned, they moved to Denver for a few years, and then the pull of the mountains brought them to the Roaring Fork Valley near Glenwood Springs.

The beginning was not smooth. Nancy worked as a line person for the phone company. Peter repaired auto bodies. They were young, working hard, and figuring it out.

"The beginning was rocky," the Post Independent reported in her obituary. "But their early valley life was also full of friendship and simple joys — bowling, spending time with friends, and watching Peter play softball."

They bought their first home on Cattle Creek. It took some convincing, and perhaps a little trickery from Nancy, to get Peter to sign on the dotted line. It became the anchor of their life in the valley. There, they raised their children, Heather and Jeremy. The house was a hub for Sunday Broncos football, hard work, and neighbors who became extended family.

After Peter passed away, Nancy continued to root herself in the community she loved. A few years later, she made the decision to sell the Cattle Creek home and move to a new house at Ironbridge.

"She remained in the valley she loved, unable to bear the thought of leaving the area," the article noted. "Though the house changed, the heart of who Nancy was never did."

Her legacy is carried forward by her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her daughter, Heather, and son-in-law, Chris; their daughters, Chelsea and Brooklyn; her son, Jeremy, and his wife, Jenny; and their children, Bailey, Elliott, and Jack. Her brother, Kevin F., also survives her.

For locals on the Western Slope, Nancy’s story is a reminder of what happens when people put down roots. She started as a phone line worker and ended as Nana-Nancy, a grandmother who spoiled her grandchildren with treats and unwavering love. She stayed when the house changed, proving that home isn’t just a location on Cattle Creek or Ironbridge — it’s the community you build around you.

Nancy fought a courageous eight-year battle with cancer before her death at age 71. To hear the family tell it, she didn’t just survive those years; she lived them fully, surrounded by the people and places that defined her.