Regina Colvard

Regina (Regi) Kay Colvard, age 57, passed away, surrounded by her loved ones, on April 20, 2022, from a short but mighty battle with cancer. Born in LaGrande on May 30, 1964, she was the first child of Richard and Myrna (Hammack) Chavez. Two sisters would follow, Paula in June 1968 and Donna in June 1974.

Regina went to schools in Pilot Rock graduating in 1982. She had a brief marriage in her early twenties that ended in divorce. She attended business school in Walla Walla earning a certificate in business administration. Following graduation, she went to work for Pendleton Ready Mix where she was employed for many years. Through her work she met and married Lynn Colvard in 1990. The marriage ended in divorce, but she was blessed with her only child, Ethan Richard-Bryant Colvard in 1992 from the union. She remained a dedicated and devoted mother to Ethan.

After leaving Pendleton Ready Mix she joined WI Construction, a company building the bases for the wind turbines in Arlington. There she met Ronald Packard who became Regina’s life partner and travel companion. Together they traveled all over the United States while Ron worked for various energy companies. They were always experiencing the local attractions as they both shared a love of history and adventure.

Regina was no stranger to loss and tragedy. She lost too many friends throughout her short 57 years. In 2004 the family suffered a devastating loss when her baby sister Donna died on April 20th, eighteen years from the date of Regina’s passing. She now is resting in the arms of Donna and her dad, Richard, who lost his battle with cancer on September 20, 2019. In 2011 she was in a life altering auto accident which left her near death. With all the tribulations she never wavered in her spiritual beliefs and the meaning of signs. Signs from the great spirit giving her comfort when she was at her lowest.

In most recent years Regina and Ron returned to Pendleton to be closer to her family. She worked occasionally for Community Action Program of East Central Oregon. First as a volunteer, later as a program assistant and for the past year as the on-site resident manager at Promise Inn. She loved working at the homeless shelter and never passed judgement on people down on their luck. She believed in second, third and as many chances it would take for someone to feel valued and important. It was important for her to treat people with respect and dignity and believed people are not lost but simply have not been found.

In 2017 Regina’s family grew when her son married his best friend, Tori Bowman. When Regina’s heart could not be fuller the news of a baby’s arrival took her over the moon. Laci Lane Colvard came into this world the same time Regina was entering chemotherapy. Regina was guarded in her visits knowing her cancer treatments may cause her to be more susceptible to infections and feared of making Baby Girl, as she affectionately referred to, at risk. It did not diminish the great love, admiration, and absolute devotion she had in her heart. The great tragedy is not the simple loss of life but the lives the loss affects. Laci Lane will not know her Gramma Regi, but Gramma Regi will live on through Laci.

Regina is survived by her life partner Ronald Packard of Pendleton, Mother Myrna Chavez of Pendleton, sister Paula and husband Roger Hall of Pendleton and son and daughter-in-law Ethan and Tori Colvard, and most importantly Baby Girl, Laci Lane Colvard all of Adams.

In honor of Regi’s life, spirit and her thoughtful and caring nature donations can be made directly to CAPECO for Promise Inn, your local no-kill animal shelter or to the cancer society.

Funeral will be held at Burns Mortuary on Saturday, April 23rd at 12:00 noon. A private burial will be held in Enterprise, Oregon.