In Loving Memory of Robert Leonard Monroe

April 23, 1971 – October 13, 2026

Robert Leonard Monroe, 55, of Greeley, Colorado, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, surrounded by his family.

Robert was born on April 23, 1971, in Powell, Wyoming, to Lois and Larry Monroe. When he was a young child, the family returned to Hayden, Colorado, where Robert spent his childhood developing a lifelong love for the outdoors, adventure and hard work.

From a young age, Robert was active, and always engineering something. He excelled at many hobbies, including hunting, fishing, boxing and snowmachining. Each spring, he returned to his secret fishing spot at Steamboat Lake, a tradition he treasured throughout his life. He was especially proud that his grandfather, Bobby Robinson, built the dam at Sheriff Reservoir, a place that held special meaning for Robert and drew him back to fish time and time again.

Robert's love of hunting began early, inspired by his father and grandfather. What began as a childhood passion became a tradition that he proudly passed down to his own children. As his family's love for the outdoors grew, Robert began acquiring mountain property near Oak Creek to create a place where those traditions could continue for generations.

Over more than two decades, Robert built his family's mountain property into something truly remarkable. What began with the family sleeping under canvas tents warmed by wood-burning stoves gradually transformed through a labor of love. Through years of hard work, ingenuity, and determination, he designed and built cabins, developed natural springs, and created a self-sustaining hunting camp. It was more than a piece of property. It was a place he built with his own hands, a reflection of his resourcefulness and grit, for his family to enjoy for years to come.

In 1976, his parents established Rocky Mountain Inspection Services in Hayden. Robert's workaholic nature revealed itself at the ripe old age of five, when he was already eager to roll up his sleeves and get to work. Whether cleaning oilfield pipe connections or finding other ways to lend a hand on job sites, he wanted to work alongside his family. As he grew older, he would frequently recruit friends to help on jobs and created opportunities for people in the community to gain work experience and skills.

In the early 1990s, the Monroe family relocated to Greeley, Colorado. Through many ups and downs in the oil and gas industry, Robert and his family grew Rocky Mountain Inspection Services into a thriving full-service oilfield pipe inspection company serving the DJ Basin. Robert’s brilliance was most evident in the pipe yard, where he solved problems with creativity and perseverance. Through decades of dedication, he built not only a successful business but also lasting relationships throughout the industry. Among those was his cherished friendships with Joe Evans and Brad Boehm, both continue to be a good friends of the family. Each of Robert’s four children has been involved in the family business in one way or another, continuing the work that began three generations ago.

Robert and his fiancée, Tracy Shippen, first crossed paths as youngsters growing up in Hayden, Colorado. Though life eventually took them in different directions, their paths crossed again years later, rekindling a romance that had begun long ago. Over the last six years, Robert enjoyed traveling the country with Tracy. Together, they logged countless miles making semi-truck deliveries across the states, turning work trips into adventures along the way. Those who knew Robert's reserved nature couldn't help but notice how often he was seen laughing and smiling in Tracy's company.

One particularly memorable journey took them in their fifth wheel camper from Colorado to Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, where they spent a week with the whole family cheering on his son at the Loretta Lynn Amateur Motocross Championship. Never one to pass up an adventure, Robert and Tracy continued their travels all the way to Maine, where they acquired an impressive amount of fresh lobster to haul back home for a seafood dinner with the family. After all, Robert only had himself to blame for the family's sophisticated taste buds, and apparently, a few thousand miles was a small price to pay for a proper lobster dinner.

Robert had an especially soft spot for children. He was the kind of dad who didn't think twice about bringing along a handful of his kids' friends on family vacations or outdoor adventures. He happily covered the expenses and made sure everyone had the opportunity to make memories together. His thoughtfulness extended into the smallest details of everyday life. He was the dad who checked your tires when you pulled into the driveway and quietly made sure your pantry was stocked. He didn’t need to ask if you were taken care of; he simply made sure you were.

He was always proud to support his children at the motocross track, spending weekends driving the family to races across the country. A talented mechanic, it wasn't unusual for him to spend an entire night repairing a dirt bike so that no one missed a gate drop the following morning. No matter how his kids performed in a race, he remained patient and encouraged them to have fun. His willingness to do whatever it took for the people he cared for was one of the many ways he showed his love.

Robert is survived by his fiancée, Tracy Shippen of Casper, Wyoming; his mother, Lois Monroe of Greeley, Colorado; his four children and their partners, Britny Monroe and Dakota Gates of Frederick, Colorado; Braden Monroe and Maya Arrieta-Walden of Briggsdale, Colorado; Brennon and Brooke Monroe of Eaton, Colorado; and Bryson Monroe and Trisha Ekema of Eaton, Colorado. He is also survived by his fiancée’s daughter, Jazmyne Patterson of Casper, Wyoming.

He leaves behind his grandchildren, Masyn and Joseph Smith of Frederick, Colorado; his expected grandchild, River Monroe; his sister, Alice Greene, and her husband, Joe Greene, of Oak Creek, Colorado.

Robert will be remembered as a quiet, humble and generous man whose actions often spoke louder than his words. Despite his many accomplishments, he was never one to seek recognition or attention. He was a builder, a problem solver and an outdoorsman who found joy in creating things that would last and sharing them with the people he loved.

His legacy lives on in the family business, the mountain hunting camp he built with his own hands, and, most importantly, the traditions, memories and values that will be remembered by his friends and family.