Jolene Boysen

Tribute

Jolene Renae Boysen, 71, of Northglenn, Colorado, passed away on March 5, 2026, at her home after a brief battle with lung cancer. Jolene was born on March 2, 1955, in Grand Island, Nebraska, to Gerald and Betty Boysen. The fifth of six children, she and her family relocated to Denver, Colorado, in 1957. Jolene graduated from Iver C. Ranum High School in 1973. Three years later, she would go on to marry and would later have three children: Stefanie (1978), Samantha (1982), and Joshua (1986). Jolene did not discover her true passion until midlife. In 1995, she became a school bus driver for special needs children. Jolene found immense purpose and joy in caring for her students. She didn't just drive them to school; she treated every child like family and ensured they felt welcome and safe. She made a difference in the life of every child she transported. Jolene loved music, flowers, the Colorado Rocky Mountains, Elvis Presley, the Denver Broncos, her children, and being “Ma” to her six grandchildren. Jolene was a rebel, known for a fierce spirit that questioned authority and challenged the status quo until her last breath. She will be remembered for her empathy, sense of humor, and her ability to make anyone feel like they belonged. A champion of the overlooked and marginalized, Jolene created a safe space for anyone who needed it. Jolene is survived by her brother, Greg (Lori) Boysen; her children, Stefanie Pettit, Samantha (Jason) Johnson, and Joshua Pettit; and her six grandchildren, Jacoby, Fenix, Drayke, Sora, Addison, and RaeLynn. In accordance with her wishes, a private ceremony will be held to scatter her ashes at Rocky Mountain National Park. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.“Give me my freedom for as long as I be all I ask of living is to have no chains on me, and all I ask of dying is to go naturally, and when I die, and when I'm dead and gone, there'll be one child born in our world to carry on.” -Blood, Sweat and Tears

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