Lawrence James Kieffe

Lawrence “Larry” Kieffe, 68, died on August 24, 2025, at his home in Arvada, Colorado. He was known for his sense of humor, infectious laugh, adventurous spirit, and heartfelt loyalty and love for his family and friends.

Larry was born in Thornton, Colorado, on April 16, 1957, to Donald and Eleanor (Dietrich) Kieffe. He graduated from Thornton High School and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in geology from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. He is survived by his wife, Julie Bettis, an Ohioan who moved to Colorado in 1990. Larry and Julie were married on June 10, 2006, at Panorama Point in Golden Gate Canyon, overlooking the Rocky Mountains Front Range and the Continental Divide. 

At both work and play, Larry preferred being outdoors and always encouraged others to come along too. He worked as a hydrogeologist at Denver-based CH2M Hill (now Jacobs Engineering) for nearly 30 years. Larry took pride in his long career, leading environmental cleanup efforts at government, military, and railroad sites throughout the Western U.S. and Alaska. He mentored many newly hired geologists in field work protocols, health and safety regulations, and site management.

Away from work, Larry was an adventurer who was happiest spending time in his beloved Colorado mountains, rivers, and lakes. His dad introduced him to the simple joys of camping and fishing at a young age. Soon, exploring mountain lakes and trying out new fishing lures became a favorite summer pastime.

A natural athlete and risk-taker, Larry liked to find new challenges: in the air (sky diving, hang gliding); on land (backpacking up steep mountain trails, or hurtling downhill on skis); and in the water (kayaking and rafting whitewater rapids). A patient and encouraging teacher, he wanted his friends to share in the joy of charging down rapids and narrow river canyons. And after the occasional river mishap, Larry was always ready to help with rescue efforts… which he then spun into entertaining stories around the campfire at night. Embellishing and sharing these tall tales earned him a reputation as a quick-witted storyteller.

In his travels outside Colorado, Larry headed for seashores and scuba diving in Hawaii, Florida, California, Mexico, and various Caribbean islands. Alaska was another favorite fishing destination for Larry and his wife Julie, who usually landed the biggest salmon. These vacations provided more adventures for future storytelling. Traveling with Larry was never dull!

Back at home, Larry was passionate about football. While attending Thornton High School, he was a team captain and wide receiver, then continued playing flag football on local teams in his 20s. He was a lifelong fan of the Denver Broncos and the University of Colorado Buffaloes (especially when the Buffs were victorious over University of Nebraska’s Cornhuskers).  Even with declining health in his later years, he continued to enjoy his favorite John Wayne westerns, books about WWII and geological history, science fiction and monster movies, ‘80s rock music, and hikes with his hound dog Otto.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Eleanor (Dietrich) Kieffe. He leaves behind his wife, Julie Bettis; sister Lynette (Monty) Robinson of Wheat Ridge, CO; niece Morgan Robinson of Madison, WI; nephew Matthew (LaRee) Robinson of Arvada, CO; mother-in-law Barbara Moll, brother-in-law John Bettis, and nephew Zachary (Felicia) Bettis of Toledo, OH; nephew Samuel Bettis of Lambertville, MI; and a beloved aunt and uncle, cousins, and more in-laws in Florida, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oregon, Ohio, and Michigan. He also leaves life-long friends, football teammates, work crews, boating comrades, fishing buddies, and memories of swapping tall tales at family gatherings and around the campfire. Larry could always find friends and reasons to laugh, and will be dearly missed.

Memorial donations may be given to Foothills Animal Shelter, 580 McIntyre Street, Golden, CO, 80401, at  https://foothillsanimalshelter.org/.