in memory
Rocky Birdsey 1945-2022 Founding Jaycee Member
Rocky was born a third generation Creedite in 1945. Rocky spent his childhood running the mountains around Creede with his buddies, David “Jake” Powell, Mike McClure, Stanley Kolisch, and Tom Payne to name a few. They spent their days exploring the mountains, fishing every creek, and this helped him grow up to be an incredible mountain man. In 1963, Rocky married his high school sweetheart, Iris Ruth Sword. They had their son, Rocky “Shane” Birdsey in 1964. Like many of the men in Creede at the time, he worked at the Emperius Mine. He and Iris were active with the Jaycees and enjoyed working with Carl Helfin on the old melodramas presented at what is now the Creede Repertory Theatre. In 1966, the Jaycees brought students from Kansas to see if theater would work in Creede, and lo and behold it did! 1966 was also the year Rocky and his brother Norman were in a mine accident. Norman did not survive, and Rocky was severely injured. He went on to work at the Emperius Mill before beginning his 40year career with Mineral County Road and Bridge. Rocky was a quiet man and loved being a member of the Creede Community! He did so much for Mineral County without anyone even knowing. There were many times Rocky saved Creede from spring floods. Every spring the ponds above Creede would fill up with debris threatening to flood the flume and flood Creede. He would drive a loader into the ponds above Creede and remove barriers so the water could run through the flume instead of flood the town. It was incredible to watch him in the pond moving debris. We would all hold our breath hoping the loader wouldn’t turn over, hoping he could move the obstacles before the water rose too high, and he managed to do it every time. It was our own form of theater every spring! Rocky passed peacefully at his winter home in Arizona surrounded by family on February 27, 2022. Rocky’s family is incredibly proud of the legacy Rocky left, as is the Creede community. Rocky would be embarrassed by any accolades so we will leave it here: Rocky was the epitome of all the good things about Creede. Thank you for honoring him by honoring Creede. –Susan Birdsey
Phil Leggitt
1941-2022 Founding Jaycee Member “So, a guy walks into a bar…” That’s how a story typically starts right? Well, not the story of Phil Leggitt. His begins with: “a miner dressed in a clown outfit, who just happens to be the local sheriff, rides a horse into a bar…” Phil wore many hats in this community. That of a young, outgoing boy, one-of-sixteen children, in a family searching for that silver lining in a place called the Amethyst Vein. Phil’s community involvement began early. He developed a knack for chit-chat and personal connections. He then traded in his ball cap for a cowboy hat. There was not a mountain range or river valley that Phil hadn’t set his eyes on or touched with his own two feet. But the hills can get lonely for a social man and with that, Phil branched out and began working for the local ranches in the area. He made a reputation for himself and soon became the head wrangler/hunting guide for the Cottonwood Cove and 4UR Ranch. He was a dedicated miner who took pride in working hard. Yet, in true Phil fashion, he also held the title of a prankster. This is where riding his horse into the bars of Creede during the 4th of July dressed as a clown began. If there was something that Phil felt would benefit the town, he was all in. It is this passion that he had for the place he called home that motivated him to become so involved in the community. Part of that involvement was with the Jaycees, who were instrumental in starting the theater. He was proud to be involved with the beginning of the present day Creede Repertory Theatre and would tell stories of how everyone pitched in for the 'theater kids', getting them settled in rooms, rebuilding the stage in the old theater, and feeding everyone. With the newfound fame Creede was getting, Phil set his eyes on what he knew best: being an ambassador for the people of Creede. So, with a raise of a right hand and a tilt of that ole cowboy hat, Sheriff Phil Leggitt was born. He wore that badge with honor for 24 years. Locals say that Sheriff Phil was a legend, the face of Creede. He may not have been on the CRT stage, but he was the lead role in this little town we call Creede. I tip my hat to you, while I hang yours up for the last time, Dad. Bravo to one hell of a performance. – Nancy and Diana Leggitt
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