lit a candle 4d agoMy mum always said if it wasn't for the fella running admissions at Regis she'd never have got in, and funny enough, years later I read that was him. She called me from Denver last week to tell me he'd died at 92. Strange how one name from an old story turns out real.
Their story
James Clement Haberer, known to family and friends as Jim, was a lifelong Colorado resident whose decades of community service in the Denver area touched a wide circle of neighbors, former students, and fellow volunteers. He was born on July 6, 1934, and grew up in North Denver alongside his…
James Clement Haberer, known to family and friends as Jim, was a lifelong Colorado resident whose decades of community service in the Denver area touched a wide circle of neighbors, former students, and fellow volunteers. He was born on July 6, 1934, and grew up in North Denver alongside his five siblings, Margaret, Paul, Tom, Dick, and Marlene. He was educated at Holy Family High School and Regis College, and after finishing high school he served two years in the United States Army.
Haberer's working life bridged telecommunications and higher education. He was employed as an installer by Mountain Bell while attending night school to finish his bachelor's degree at Regis College. After graduating, he was hired as the first Director of Admissions in the college's history, a post he held for seven years, before returning to the phone company in a management role. In that later career he was part of the team that developed and implemented the 911 emergency call system across the Denver metropolitan area, a project that helped shape emergency response for generations of Coloradans.
Outside of work, Haberer was best known locally for his long record of civic volunteering. He joined the Alameda West Kiwanis Club and remained a member for 45 years, giving many hours to community projects, including fund raising and the construction of two astronomy facilities for Jefferson County Outdoor Lab schools. Within Kiwanis he held several leadership offices, including Club Secretary and Lieutenant Governor for the Rocky Mountain District, and he served as a voting delegate for the organization.
In 1955, Haberer married Patricia Durant, and the couple settled in Arvada, Colorado, where they raised five children, Jeanne, Tom, Robert, Dan, and John. Their son Robert died in infancy. Patricia, his wife of 60 years, died before him. Haberer later remarried, and at the time of his death he had been married to his wife Mary Lou for ten years.
James Clement Haberer died on October 9, 2026, at the age of 92. He was a resident of Arbor View Skilled Nursing at the time of his death, and his family has described his passing as peaceful. He is survived by his brother Tom, his sister Marlene, his wife Mary Lou, his daughter Jeanne, and his sons Tom, Dan, and John, along with ten grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild. He was preceded in death by his first wife Patricia, his son Robert, his grandson Ryan, and his son in law Frank. A rosary and funeral Mass are scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Denver, followed by interment at Fort Logan National Cemetery the next day.
Biography adapted from News reports and the sources cited on this page; death reported by Denver Gazette.
That's such a specific memory to carry, lovely that your mum shared it.