Barbara Jean Duran

Barbara ( Barb)  Jean Duran was born on Jan. 20, 1942 to William “Red” Cantwell and Lillian Weiner in Denver ,Colorado. She spent many of her formative years living in the Colorado Christian Home due to her father and mother being in poor health. While in the “home “ her father passed when she was 12 years old  in 1952. This experience coupled with the fact of being a displaced Jewish child, would forever impact her. She met John Allen Fajardo in 1957 when she was 15 years old. She was greatly loved by the new family she married into and it was here that she learned to cook. In 1958 their first daughter Elizabeth “Renee”  was born  and their son Mark Allen Fajardo was born in 1961. Barb remarried twice more after her divorce from John and finally married Arthur “Donnie” Duran on July 26, 1982. Papa Art was employed as a certified Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor.  Through this union she was finally able to find the stability she had always desired. They remained together until his death in 2020. Barb was employed for most of her working career in the food hospitality business. She enjoyed her many rescued animal “babies” she and papa Art raised together, the squirrels, gardening and cooking. She is most famous for her green chili and potatoes latkes. She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband Art Duran. She is survived by first husband John Fajardo, cousin Joanna Lucero,   daughter  Renee Fajardo( Glen Anstine),  son Mark Fajardo (Anna Camp) , and an abundant number of  grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Barb was no stranger to struggle. Her perseverance is a testimony to the power of unconditional to love.   In lieu of flowers the family request donations be sent to Denver Health Foundation  (https://www.denverhealthfoundation.org/donate/) so that they may  continue their work as a key community player in preventive care, children’s early care and learning, the opioid crisis and addressing the social determinants of health. A memorial for Barb will be held on Monday Jan. 16th, 2023 at Lakewood United Methodist Church (1390 Brentwood)  at 11 a.m .Lunch will be served afterwards. The service will be presided over by Rabbi Rick Brody of Jewish Family Services.