Kelly Lynn Ehrmann

Kelly Lynn (Smith) Ehrmann age 58 of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, passed away giving her last breath unto her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Monday, May 30,2022, in her daughter's loving hands while listening to the birds at Lutheran Hospice at Collier Hospice Center, Colorado. She was a most-beloved wife of the late Richard Wendall Ehrmann of Rock Island, Illinois. Kelly was born in Cleveland, Ohio on January 12, 1964.  She is predeceased by her parents, Loren Austin Smith; Naval Korean War Veteran and Marlene Myrna (Luccioni) Smith.

She was a devoted, loving, and stellar mother. As a young-widowed mother, she invested quality loving care raising her daughters. Survivors include her daughters Amber Jade Ehrmann, Nikki Alexis Ehrmann (Efron) and granddaughter Alice Nami Ehrmann. Her brother Mark Andrew Smith (Shana) and sister, Kimberly Ann (Smith) Kochevar; nephews, Andrew Joseph Kochevar and Anthony William Kochevar.

Kelly was a natural born artist, creator, and adventurer. As a child, she painted murals on the walls of her childhood home and spent early mornings running to the beach as the sun rose with her older siblings. During her teenage years, she was employed in a factory while working to get her high school diploma. In her senior year, she took a career test at school and the man facilitating the tests told her she’d make a great “box maker.” It was at this point Kelly would defy the systems notion of what she could achieve, and make a name for herself. After graduation, she moved to Belgium for a brief time where she travelled throughout Europe, and made lifelong friends. Following this adventure, she moved to California, where her love for nature would grow during long bike rides on the beach and weekends spent hiking, camping, skiing through the mountains, and staying in cabins with friends. Here, she took college courses to gain skills as a graphic designer, something that would boost her skills as a self-taught, freelance artist. It was here in California that she met her husband Richard with whom she would take many adventures with. They later moved to Colorado where they had their children Amber and Nikki, and adopted their beloved dog, Shelby.

 Kelly’s artwork was influenced by the impressionists and post-impressionists of the 19th century. While having a variety of skills in painting, including: watercolor, oils, acrylics, pen and ink, etc, her most known technique was a combination of the two, painting with both brushes and knives. Much of her inspiration came from her love of nature and her travels around the world, along with long weekends spent in the country and at her grandmother’s house. Her mother always instilled values to appreciate the beauty and blessings in life, regardless of life’s storms. This is the foundation that evoked her inner strength to favor and present peaceful scenes. Regardless of the hardships she faced, her life’s work in her art was to give viewers a place to rest the mind. Her most current passions returned her to the days of her youth when she drew endless cartoons and memorized children’s fables and poems; that is, she became an accomplished author and illustrator. Kelly published three children's books: The Pesky Picnic, Mechanical Mishap, and Blackberry Blunder-she dedicated to her granddaughter.  

Kelly always stayed active, learning new skills, picking up new hobbies, and taking her and her children on travels around the world. Music captivated her to engage in classes which transformed her into a seasoned dancer, enjoying salsa and swing style rhythms. Both her and daughters were also students in Irish step dancing classes and ice skating. Kelly and her children traveled abroad where they were immersed in other culture and experiences. For more extreme sports Kelly mastered the art of caving and journeyed on expeditions through the depths of the Colorado mountains.

Kelly was loyal to her family and friends, and joy and laughter was the norm. She demonstrated great wit and humor which were staples to her creative character, always being the life of the party. Her extraordinary faith led her to the path of eternal life with our Lord. Family and friends testify that she was a sheer joy to their hearts and will be dearly missed forevermore, until we meet again.