Mona (Erickson) Chancellor

Mona Chancellor was born on January 31, 1938, to Lionel and Myrtle Erickson in Rosholt, South Dakota, the oldest of three daughters. She died on September 22, 2020, in an assisted living facility in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

Mona grew up and attended school in Rosholt, graduating from high school in 1955.

She married Gary Wilson, a high school classmate. They moved to Spearfish, South Dakota, to continue their education and where they earned their Bachelor degrees from Black Hills State University. While living in Spearfish, they had two children, Steven and Melanie.

After Gary joined the FBI, the family moved to Dallas, Texas, and then to Jacksonville, Florida. Mona taught school in both public school systems.

In 1967 Mona and her children moved to Denver, Colorado, and Mona taught school in suburban Littleton, Colorado. She earned her Masters degree in 1971 from Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. She taught in Littleton until 1976 as a classroom teacher and later as a reading specialist.

Mona married Charles "Chance" Chancellor in 1973. During their twenty-seven years of marriage, they were world travelers, which was a particular joy to Mona.

In addition to her love of travel, Mona enjoyed skiing, cooking and entertaining family and friends in small and large groups in her mountain home. She was a devoted fan of the theater, sporting events (the Broncos) and of all that the city of Denver had to offer.

When her husband died in 1998, Mona managed Chancellor Energy until three years before her death.

Mona was recognized by her alma mater, Black Hills State University, as the Distinguished Alumna of 2007.

Mona is survived by her two children, Steven Wilson and Melanie Marshall; granddaughters Nicole Lucchese, Amy Marshall and Sara Marshall; sisters Chloe Dykstra and Nancy Erickson; brother-in-law Glenn Dykstra; nieces Elizabeth Dykstra, Whitney Wharton, Erin Langdon; and nephew Gavin Dykstra. She was preceded in death by her husband and parents.