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Life on the Summit: Hey, Spike! remembers Paul Hage and Bruce Miles

Miles F. Porter IV
Life on the Summit
Paul Hage.
Courtesy photo |

Two well-loved men were missing from their family Thanksgiving Day dinner tables — Paul Hage of Silverthorne and Pastor Bruce Miles of Frisco.

Having known both gentlemen for many years, Spike!’s thoughts have been about them and their families.

Paul retired from Xcel (then Public Service Co. of Colorado) and later worked at Big Horn Lumber. He was very active in the Lord of the Mountains Lutheran Church.



He and wife Deb helped The Summit in a multitude of ways, most notably with Deb, also a Rotarian, spearheading the Community Dinners at the Elks Club in Silverthorne.

Paul retired from Xcel (then Public Service Co. of Colorado) and later worked at Big Horn Lumber. He was very active in the Lord of the Mountains Lutheran Church.

The Hages had children of their own and increased that loving circle with foster kids. Their care knew no bounds.



Paul passed away Nov. 9 at 70 while he and Deb were vacationing in Barcelona, Spain, when pre-departure “tired feeling” to turned worse.

The memorial service will be at Lord of the Mountains in Dillon on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 11 a.m. Lunch will follow in the fellowship hall.

Memorial gifts, in lieu of flowers, may be sent to Lord of the Mountains Box 1059, Dillon, CO, 80435 to be used for the creation of a memorial labyrinth.

“I cannot thank you all enough for the incredible lavishness of your support for me and our family,” wrote Deb to friends.

An Alamosa native, Paul married Deb, whose father, Jim Clark, was the financial officer while I was attending Adams State College. Another nice guy.

Pastor Bruce and Donna Miles and kids were our across-the-street neighbors in the Rocky Mountain Bible Church parsonage at Sixth and Granite for many years.

Bruce, with the help of Dwight and Mary Jo George, Steve Gerko and Guy and Kristen Pacot, grew the congregation, which got an initial big boost from Wayne and Lola Mae Bristol, to overflowing numbers.

During the past 20 years, it had been a struggle for Bruce, who had liver problems, eventually, getting a replacement, but there were always accompanying issues, creating numerous close calls.

Bruce died Nov. 17. He was 66.

With my Miss Mary’s pseudomyxoma peritonei cancer battle (supposedly fatal) surfacing about the same time, the prospects helped us develop at warm bond with Bruce and Donna.

About six years ago, Spike! penned a column about Bruce’s transplant struggle.

“The memorial service for our beloved Pastor Bruce Miles will be held at Rocky Mountain Bible Church on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 11 a.m. The service will be followed by a lunch reception. Since there will be many people traveling to Frisco from out of town, if any of the local church family is available/willing to house some of the household of faith, please contact the church office so we can have a stand by list if some cannot find accommodations. Please contact the church office with any questions concerning the service and, for planning purposes, please respond with an email RSVP if you plan to attend the luncheon,” the RMBC announced.

Miles F. Porter IV, nicknamed “Spike,” a Coloradan since 1949, is an Army veteran, former hardrock miner, graduate of Adams State College, and a local since 1982. An award-winning investigative reporter, he and wife Mary E. Staby owned newspapers here for 20 years. Email your social info to milesfporteriv@aol.com


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