When Claudia Boettcher Merthan passed away in September, Colorado lost not only a philanthropic leader but also a quiet force whose grace, vision and generosity helped shape our state for generations.
Far beyond titles or accomplishments, Claudia’s influence lives on in the thousands of lives she touched. And that impact, which includes countless individuals who never met her personally, will outlast any list of accolades.
Claudia served on the Boettcher Foundation’s Board of Trustees from 1987-2008. For 15 of those years, she chaired the board, guiding her great-grandfather Charles Boettcher’s legacy through a period of growth and change.
Under her steady hand, the Foundation’s assets grew from $92 million to more than $300 million. In addition, Boettcher supported nearly 3,000 Colorado nonprofits with more than $176 million in grants. These resources built hospitals, libraries and community centers, strengthened rural health care, and expanded opportunities in higher education.
But her influence was never just about numbers. What set Claudia apart was her leadership style: humble, steady and profoundly people-centered. She embodied stewardship, both honoring her family’s intent while also staying open to new ideas that reflected the times.
She asked thoughtful questions, listened intently and cared deeply about those around her. Claudia was 92, and died Sept. 6 in Eureka, S.D., where she had lived since 2008.
I first met Claudia as an 18-year-old walking nervously into my Boettcher Scholarship in 1993. I knew the Boettcher name and its legacy, but I didn’t yet understand how much it would shape my life.
Being selected as a Boettcher Scholar remains one of the greatest honors of my life. It opened doors to an extraordinary education, gave me freedom to pursue opportunities without the burden of debt, and eventually led me to work at the Foundation in a temporary role after finishing my undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado.
That one-year job has turned into a 25-plus year career at Boettcher that I could have never imagined. Claudia’s belief in me changed the course of my life.
And I am far from alone. When Claudia retired in 2008, letters from Scholars poured in, offering gratitude and reflection. Their words reveal the breadth of her impact.
One wrote, “Not one of the honors bestowed upon me throughout my 30-year career can begin to compare with having received a Boettcher Scholarship. It has been a cornerstone of my entire adult life.”
Another shared that the scholarship gave him a community that felt like family and instilled the confidence to fully commit to learning.
Another Scholar who had recently graduated recalled sitting beside Claudia at a Colorado Rockies game, instantly embraced by her warmth and grace.
These stories reflect what so many experienced: Claudia and the Foundation she led did more than provide financial support. They instilled belief. They gave young people permission to dream bigger, to lead boldly and to give back. That spirit of belief was rooted in the Boettcher family’s story itself.
The Boettchers were a family of immigrant entrepreneurs who chose to pay it forward to the state’s people and future. Claudia became the keeper of the family gift, guiding it with humility and vision so its impact would endure for generations.
The ripple effects have been extraordinary: Scholars have become educators, doctors, entrepreneurs, engineers and public servants; Scholars today mentor others because someone once believed in them; Scholars have raised their children with the values of generosity and service.
What strikes me in these reflections is how deeply personal Claudia’s impact was. She did not see philanthropy as a transaction. More importantly, it was a relationship. Investing in people meant more than writing checks. To her, it meant cultivating confidence, encouraging risk-taking and creating a sense of belonging.
Claudia’s legacy is etched into Colorado’s institutions, but more importantly, it lives on in individuals. It lives in the students who pursued higher education without debt. It lives in the communities strengthened by gathering spaces and health care facilities. It lives in the thousands of Scholars (me included) who were forever changed by her family’s generosity and her personal stewardship.
Her passing is a profound loss, but her example endures. Claudia showed us that leadership can be principled and kind, rooted in tradition yet open to change, humble in demeanor yet expansive in impact. She reminded us that philanthropy is not about recognition but about responsibility — to serve, to steward and to believe in others.
Colorado is better because Claudia Boettcher Merthan gave so much of herself to it.
As we remember her, may we carry forward the lesson she modeled so beautifully: that true leadership is found not in spotlight or acclaim, but in the quiet, steadfast work of building opportunities for others.
Katie Kramer, of Arvada, is president and CEO of the Boettcher Foundation.
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