Lawrence F. (Larry) Petrini, 91, died on November 17, 2021 at Sunrise Senior Living Cherry Creek in Denver. His roots go deep in Salida and Chaffee County.
“Dad was a great storyteller and he loved trains. As a boy he loved going for rides on the small train that used to go around the Salida Hot Springs,” said his son Brent Petrini. “That train is the one that is now in Tiny Town. I loved when he reminisced about his time working for the railroad in the machine shop, just after high school, before the railroad shut down. He could spend hours talking about the narrow-gauge trains going up Monarch, about his Grandfather Runco, who had also worked there, and about how everyone looked out for each other – it was a family affair.”
Long-time Salida resident, Larry Petrini died Nov. 17. Family photo.
Petrini was born on July 31, 1930, to John Petrini and Sylvia Runco Petrini. He attended elementary school and high school in Salida, graduating from Salida High in 1948. He worked for utility companies all of his career, beginning with Mountain Bell in Colorado Springs. He returned to Salida in 1955 to begin work for Public Service Company of Colorado (now Xcel Energy). He retired from Public Service Company as a Regional Manager in Denver after 37 years with the Company.
Petrini married Marie Predovich in 1956. Their daughter, Marla, and son, Brent, were both born in Salida. They shared life for the next 56 years until Marie’s death in 2012. Larry was elected to Salida City Council in 1959, serving for several years. He was instrumental in the successful “Cement The ‘S’” campaign, which transformed the iconic Tenderfoot Mountain symbol from white-washed rocks to a permanent fixture.
“He also was a walking history book for Salida,” noted his son. “He could tell you the history of any building in Salida and give you the history of all the businesses that had worked there.”
Friends, family, and community gave his life meaning, Petrini would tell you. For 20 years before Marie died, they split their time between Sun City West, AZ and Salida. Larry was a life-long member of the Salida Elks and a member of the Jaycees in Alamosa.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife. Survivors include his children, Marla (Kelly) of Denver, Brent (Michelle) of Salida, sister, Beverly Dorson of Grand Junction, sister-in-law Karen Predovich of Cañon City, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
It was Larry’s wish that there be no funeral service. His ashes will be interred at Fairview Cemetery in a graveside service planned for next Spring. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, or Helping Hands of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Salida, CO.
“He will be missed.”
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