Alvin Eugene Packard

Alvin was born to Osa and Hattie (Arndt) Packard on November 7, 1931, at his grandmother’s house in Walsh, Colorado. The family lived south of Walsh later moving to East Bethel, east of Campo, Colorado. There Alvin attended first grade. They moved to Walsh in 1937, Alvin finishing school there.

After Alvin was out of school, he helped his uncle Orlen farm and also went with them to different churches showing Gospel Films. It was on one of these trips where Alvin met Frances Hiner of Edler, Colorado.

Alvin attended Mid-West Trade School in Denver. After finishing there he enrolled at Western Bible Institute. It was here when Alvin saw Frances again and they began dating. They were married December 20th, 1950. The following summer they moved to a farm near Hugoton, Kansas. Their first son, Leonard, was born in Hugoton on October 31st, 1951. While in Kansas, Allan Howard sent word he would like to talk with them. The result of that talk led them back to Colorado working for Allan near Edler.

On April 30th, 1953, they welcomed their second son, Marvin. In February they moved to the Frank Neal farm in the Sandy Soil Community. They rented the farm for several years, later buying it. While living on the farm, 4 more children were added to the family. Oran February 13th, 1955, David July 8th 1956, Bonna March 28th 1958, and Keith November 26th, 1959.

Alvin and his family milked cows for a living. Raised broomcorn and coz/milo as main crops. The kids all had chores to do on the farm including milking cows, working in the fields, sloppin the hogs and putting in a whole day at school. They all remember getting up early for chores, sitting around the breakfast table eating, daddy leading them in morning devotions, and still getting on the school bus by 7:30 every day.

In 1976 Alvin and Frances sold the farm to their son Leonard and moved to Springfield where Alvin had been employed since 1972 as a bus driver and custodian at Springfield School. They opened the Bible Book Store in December 1977 as a service to the Lord and to the churches in this area.

Alvin has always been faithful in church and serving the Lord in whatever way he could. He is a member of the First Baptist Church where he has served as a Deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, teacher, and sang in the choir.

He retired from Springfield School on September 1st, 1993. Alvin continued to help his kids on their farms whenever needed or doing odd jobs around the house. He was called home by his Heavenly Father on August 18th, 2022, at the Alzheimer’s Unit in Springfield Colorado.

Alvin is preceded in death by his parents Osa and Hattie Packard, son Leonard, brothers, Julian, Marian, Emmit, Loren, grandsons Clayton Schaller and Josh Reid, great-granddaughters Amanda Howard, Breckin Arbuthnot, and Cirstye Schaller. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Frances Packard, sons Marvin (Linda), Oran and stepdaughter Traci Gutierrez, David (Ada), Keith (Kristen), daughter Bonna (Curtis) Arbuthnot, all of Springfield, daughter-in-law Jackie Packard of Pueblo West, brother

Glenn (Glenna), sister Jewel (Bill) Eaton, sister-in-law Shirley Packard Parnell all of Walsh, 21 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-granddaughters, and a host of family and friends.