YOUR AD HERE »

Former Glenwood Springs Mayor Carl Schiesser dies

Donna GrayGlenwood Springs, CO Colorado

A former mayor of Glenwood Springs, Carl Schiesser, has died.Schiesser passed away on Tuesday, in Tucson, Ariz. He was 76. Schiesser served on Glenwood Springs City Council from 1982 to 1985 and as the city’s mayor from 1984 to 1985. Schiesser’s wife, Shirley, also served on city council, from 1991 to 1995. She passed away in 2005.The couple had five children.

Schiesser is remembered for helping get Centennial Park built in 1985, at Ninth and Grand in downtown Glenwood.”I just remember him as this very progressive mayor,” said Marianne Virgili, CEO of the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association. Virgili worked with him on the Community on the Move committee, which successfully campaigned for a city sales tax.The mid-1980s, “I think, was a turning point in Glenwood Springs history,” she said, when the city saw several large projects take shape with the help of Schiesser. “He and Shirley worked on the pedestrian mall (on Seventh and Grand) and they helped build the community center,” she said. “He was just a great leader.”

The Schiessers owned a local construction company, Permanent Builders, which built the Glenwood Springs Middle School, said Steve Shute, a family friend. Carl was a bricklayer by trade. “He had Popeye arms,” he said. “They were just salt-of-the-earth people,” Shute said. “I just really admired them.”Former mayor Sam Skramstad also remembered Schiesser. “He was genuinely interested in Glenwood Springs. He was a genuine guy and was always good for his word,” he said. “I’ll miss him.”



Contact Donna Gray: 945-8515, ext. 16605dgray@postindependent.comPost Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.