Margaret Jean Ausenbaugh

Margaret Jean Ausenbaugh passed away on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, CO. Jeanie or Jean (as she preferred), was born in Colorado to Winston and Margaret Ausenbaugh on June 11, 1939. She grew up in Denver with her parents and brother, Wendell. She attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, and after graduating with a B.A. in Social Sciences, Political Science, Economics, she was recruited by the Army, Department of Special Services. She was sent to Korea to work as a Service Club Director, and then to Vietnam as a Club Director. In these roles, she provided recreation for service people and their families. Jeanie then joined the American Red Cross in service to the Armed Forces, and during this time, she lived in Vietnam and Korea again, as well as Guam, Germany and San Francisco. Her many roles consisted of Recreation Supervisor (where she worked in military hospitals), Assistant Field Director and Field Director (which helped soldiers and their families with military emergencies) and Assistant District Director for the Western Division (where she was stationed at Presidio with her office over-looking the Golden Gate Bridge). She also became the first female Field Director III at Fort Carson, CO, and was sent all over the Western District of the Red Cross to teach classes as a Certified National Instructor. In 1984, Jeanie left the Red Cross to form her own touring company, as well as start a new career at Village Homes as a Sales Manager. While still at Village Homes, Jeanie founded Angels with Paws Cat Rescue and Adoption Center in 2003, after volunteering at other shelters in the area, and seeing the need for a safe place for animals who needed a little more time, care and help were adopted. In 2008, she retired from Village Homes to focus on Angels with Paws full time. Through Jeanie’s leadership and funding, Angels with Paws has been able to rescue, Spay/Neuter, vaccinate, provide medical care and a safe place to live until adopted to nearly 11,000 animals. Jeanie is survived by her nephew, David Ausenbaugh, niece, Megan Morrow, as well as several cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Winston and Margaret, and brother, Wendell. Our hope is that Jeanie’s love and care for animals lives on so, in lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be made to Angels with Paws: www.angelswithpaws.net. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the family is planning on having a Celebration of Life later on this year.