| Questions? Contact COICES! Email: ColoradoICES@yahoo.com Find us on Facebook |
Ella Steele- Representative Alternate
Ella was born and raised approximately 50 miles North of Denver in a small town called Eaton. She divorced after
28 years of marriage and has four children and three grand children.
Ella has her BA in Music Education and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction and 30 hours towards her doctorate.
She is a retired teacher from Denver Public Schools where she taught elementary vocal music for 18 years and
then went into a 3rd grade classroom for seven years. Though now retired, Ella still tutors reading students in the
Los Angeles schools over the internet. She also has taught piano music in her home and has done so for over 30
years.
Ella’s love of teaching carries over into her love for sugar art as well as she has been a Wilton instructor for 18
years. She is in Wilton’s Hall of Fame and has taught over 2,000 cake decorating students. Ella was awarded best
teacher of the year twice as a Wilton instructor and continues to teach the art at Michael’s in Thornton. She also
makes display cakes for Cakes by Karen. Through her years of teaching, she has taught over 16,000 students
and still loves to teach! Ella is the immediate past Secretary for CO ICES and was elected to a two year term the
Alternate Representative at the October 2009 meeting.
In her spare time, Ella enjoys taking walks, going to the movies, and listening to classical music. Ella is very close
to all of her children and often baby-sits her three grandchildren. She is grateful that she can spend time with her
family and proud that they all are very close.
When Ella was in high school she won the Stars of Tomorrow contest as a stand-up comedian, and also
performed impersonating Elvis Presley.
Ella was born and raised approximately 50 miles North of Denver in a small town called Eaton. She divorced after
28 years of marriage and has four children and three grand children.
Ella has her BA in Music Education and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction and 30 hours towards her doctorate.
She is a retired teacher from Denver Public Schools where she taught elementary vocal music for 18 years and
then went into a 3rd grade classroom for seven years. Though now retired, Ella still tutors reading students in the
Los Angeles schools over the internet. She also has taught piano music in her home and has done so for over 30
years.
Ella’s love of teaching carries over into her love for sugar art as well as she has been a Wilton instructor for 18
years. She is in Wilton’s Hall of Fame and has taught over 2,000 cake decorating students. Ella was awarded best
teacher of the year twice as a Wilton instructor and continues to teach the art at Michael’s in Thornton. She also
makes display cakes for Cakes by Karen. Through her years of teaching, she has taught over 16,000 students
and still loves to teach! Ella is the immediate past Secretary for CO ICES and was elected to a two year term the
Alternate Representative at the October 2009 meeting.
In her spare time, Ella enjoys taking walks, going to the movies, and listening to classical music. Ella is very close
to all of her children and often baby-sits her three grandchildren. She is grateful that she can spend time with her
family and proud that they all are very close.
When Ella was in high school she won the Stars of Tomorrow contest as a stand-up comedian, and also
performed impersonating Elvis Presley.
Judy Ryal - Colorado and Wyoming ICES State Representative
303-761-1522
Judy was born in Wichita Falls, TX, but grew up in Pasadena, CA where she graduated from high school and married Dennis
Farrell at the age of 19. For the next 23 years, Judy was an Air Force wife, living all over the country and 5 years in Germany.
The best part of military life was making wonderful friends all over the world with whom she still remains in contact. Dennis
and Judy had two sons, Denny, now almost 40, and Ron, 36, who both live in the Denver area.
Three years following Dennis’ retirement he was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and Judy became his caregiver
for the next 4 years. Judy met Barbara, John’s wife, thru church. Barbara was soon diagnosed with breast cancer, the most
aggressive type, to which she succumbed less than a year after Dennis passed from ALS.
It was soon after the passing of their spouses that Judy and John started dating, although John lived in CA and Judy in Colorado
Springs. To make their union official, John and Judy traveled to New Zealand’s South Island where they were married in a
small church just outside of Christchurch and honeymooned for two weeks. It was September, springtime in NZ, and they had
a wonderful time visiting fields of daffodils, and enjoyed dolphins guiding the boat as they explored the fjords!
John and Judy spent the first year of their new life together living in Santa Cruz, CA, overlooking Monterrey Bay. Subsequent
years found them living in London, Phoenix, and then, to Castle Rock so they could be near Judy’s sons. They now love
spending time with their five grandkids here in CO and six in Phoenix!
Judy’s mother did cakes as she was growing up, but at that time, Judy wanted no part of it! When her 2nd son was born
however, she decided it would be good to learn how to make cakes for her boys, and took a basic course. She went on to take
fondant and gumpaste courses before it was popular, here in the U.S., and the rest was self-taught. She began to do wedding
cakes ,and even taught classes when living in Germany, which really helped to supplement family income.
36.5 years and the owner of a very successful business (Cake Crafts) later, Judy says her late husband, Dennis , would be quite
surprised to see her now!
Other than spending time with her grandkids and church activities, Judy enjoys tole painting in her spare time. If you visit Judy
and John’s home, you can see some beautiful examples of her tole work!
As members of CO ICES, we are so very fortunate to have Judy as a fellow member, and further, as the state representative
for our chapter. She and John both support the chapter in so many ways; the obvious, such as allowing us to have meetings
and DOS at Cake Crafts, and by generous donations to the cake show. And in other ways, which may not be noticeable to the
casual observer– Judy is always there for encouragement and support , no matter the task at hand and offers sound, level
headed advice, from her heart. She works tirelessly to make our chapter the best it can possibly be, and strives to represent all
members in a fair and unbiased manner.
Thank you Judy, and John, for all you do for CO ICES!
303-761-1522
Judy was born in Wichita Falls, TX, but grew up in Pasadena, CA where she graduated from high school and married Dennis
Farrell at the age of 19. For the next 23 years, Judy was an Air Force wife, living all over the country and 5 years in Germany.
The best part of military life was making wonderful friends all over the world with whom she still remains in contact. Dennis
and Judy had two sons, Denny, now almost 40, and Ron, 36, who both live in the Denver area.
Three years following Dennis’ retirement he was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and Judy became his caregiver
for the next 4 years. Judy met Barbara, John’s wife, thru church. Barbara was soon diagnosed with breast cancer, the most
aggressive type, to which she succumbed less than a year after Dennis passed from ALS.
It was soon after the passing of their spouses that Judy and John started dating, although John lived in CA and Judy in Colorado
Springs. To make their union official, John and Judy traveled to New Zealand’s South Island where they were married in a
small church just outside of Christchurch and honeymooned for two weeks. It was September, springtime in NZ, and they had
a wonderful time visiting fields of daffodils, and enjoyed dolphins guiding the boat as they explored the fjords!
John and Judy spent the first year of their new life together living in Santa Cruz, CA, overlooking Monterrey Bay. Subsequent
years found them living in London, Phoenix, and then, to Castle Rock so they could be near Judy’s sons. They now love
spending time with their five grandkids here in CO and six in Phoenix!
Judy’s mother did cakes as she was growing up, but at that time, Judy wanted no part of it! When her 2nd son was born
however, she decided it would be good to learn how to make cakes for her boys, and took a basic course. She went on to take
fondant and gumpaste courses before it was popular, here in the U.S., and the rest was self-taught. She began to do wedding
cakes ,and even taught classes when living in Germany, which really helped to supplement family income.
36.5 years and the owner of a very successful business (Cake Crafts) later, Judy says her late husband, Dennis , would be quite
surprised to see her now!
Other than spending time with her grandkids and church activities, Judy enjoys tole painting in her spare time. If you visit Judy
and John’s home, you can see some beautiful examples of her tole work!
As members of CO ICES, we are so very fortunate to have Judy as a fellow member, and further, as the state representative
for our chapter. She and John both support the chapter in so many ways; the obvious, such as allowing us to have meetings
and DOS at Cake Crafts, and by generous donations to the cake show. And in other ways, which may not be noticeable to the
casual observer– Judy is always there for encouragement and support , no matter the task at hand and offers sound, level
headed advice, from her heart. She works tirelessly to make our chapter the best it can possibly be, and strives to represent all
members in a fair and unbiased manner.
Thank you Judy, and John, for all you do for CO ICES!
Nancy Schol, COICES Treasurer
Nancy Schol is the Chairwoman for this year’s Sweet Times In The Rockies Sugar Art Show, and is the current Treasurer of the Colorado ICES
Chapter.
Nancy grew up in a small town in Eastern North Dakota before moving to Duluth, MN at the age of 15. Her mother emphasized the Golden
Rule, and Nancy continues to try and live by that adage. She has been married to Ron for 41 years, and together they have two sons and one
daughter, who have blessed them with six grandchildren. You wouldn’t know it by looking at Nancy, but she also has a great-grandchild! The
only “children” Nancy and Ron now have at home are their Papillons, Daisy and Roxy. She would also like to be “mom” to some Indian Runner
Ducks if you know of anyone who has them… Nancy is a retired software engineer of 27 years and now drives a school bus. She enjoys the
kids, the hours, the summers off, most everything about her post retirement job.
You may not know that Nancy has most recently learned to spin fiber and has two spinning wheels; one which her great-grandmother brought
over from Norway, as well as a more modern one. Speaking of her Norweigian ancestory, Nancy’s favorite dessert is called Rømegrøt, a
Norweigan porridge made mostly with heavy cream. She enjoys basic, natural foods and regularly mills her own flour from grain, bakes her own
bread, and makes butter from raw cream. She even helped to test recipes for a whole grain bread cookbook by well-known author, Peter
Reinhart.
One of Nancy’s most memorable sights has been viewing the “mystical and undulating” colors of the Northern Lights and says they are almost
“hypnotic.” One of her favorite vacations was to Belize with her mother, sister, and sister’s daughter-in-law where they experienced a huge flock
of red and green parrots flying overhead in the jungle and enjoyed snorkeling with stingrays and nurse sharks near Ambergris Caye.
Nancy did not begin her adventure with cake decorating until after her three children left home, when she first took a class with Ella Steele as her
instructor. Looking back, she wishes she had started sooner as she thoroughly enjoys the creativity involved in cake decorating. Her favorite
medium is fondant because it is fun to work with, and cakes covered in fondant “look so perfect.”
Appreciated very much by the Colorado ICES group, are Nancy’s attention to detail and her knowledge of computers. For those who are not
aware, Nancy has developed two computer programs which are essential to Sweet Times In The Rockies sugar art show. She has worked
countless hours on these programs, built them from the ground up, and put much thought into them. She updates and improves these programs,
and each year the show runs smoother and more efficiently behind the scenes. Words cannot express the appreciation that the committee has for
Nancy in building this amazing program and also for her dedication to the Colorado ICES organization.
Nancy Schol is the Chairwoman for this year’s Sweet Times In The Rockies Sugar Art Show, and is the current Treasurer of the Colorado ICES
Chapter.
Nancy grew up in a small town in Eastern North Dakota before moving to Duluth, MN at the age of 15. Her mother emphasized the Golden
Rule, and Nancy continues to try and live by that adage. She has been married to Ron for 41 years, and together they have two sons and one
daughter, who have blessed them with six grandchildren. You wouldn’t know it by looking at Nancy, but she also has a great-grandchild! The
only “children” Nancy and Ron now have at home are their Papillons, Daisy and Roxy. She would also like to be “mom” to some Indian Runner
Ducks if you know of anyone who has them… Nancy is a retired software engineer of 27 years and now drives a school bus. She enjoys the
kids, the hours, the summers off, most everything about her post retirement job.
You may not know that Nancy has most recently learned to spin fiber and has two spinning wheels; one which her great-grandmother brought
over from Norway, as well as a more modern one. Speaking of her Norweigian ancestory, Nancy’s favorite dessert is called Rømegrøt, a
Norweigan porridge made mostly with heavy cream. She enjoys basic, natural foods and regularly mills her own flour from grain, bakes her own
bread, and makes butter from raw cream. She even helped to test recipes for a whole grain bread cookbook by well-known author, Peter
Reinhart.
One of Nancy’s most memorable sights has been viewing the “mystical and undulating” colors of the Northern Lights and says they are almost
“hypnotic.” One of her favorite vacations was to Belize with her mother, sister, and sister’s daughter-in-law where they experienced a huge flock
of red and green parrots flying overhead in the jungle and enjoyed snorkeling with stingrays and nurse sharks near Ambergris Caye.
Nancy did not begin her adventure with cake decorating until after her three children left home, when she first took a class with Ella Steele as her
instructor. Looking back, she wishes she had started sooner as she thoroughly enjoys the creativity involved in cake decorating. Her favorite
medium is fondant because it is fun to work with, and cakes covered in fondant “look so perfect.”
Appreciated very much by the Colorado ICES group, are Nancy’s attention to detail and her knowledge of computers. For those who are not
aware, Nancy has developed two computer programs which are essential to Sweet Times In The Rockies sugar art show. She has worked
countless hours on these programs, built them from the ground up, and put much thought into them. She updates and improves these programs,
and each year the show runs smoother and more efficiently behind the scenes. Words cannot express the appreciation that the committee has for
Nancy in building this amazing program and also for her dedication to the Colorado ICES organization.
Adele Lind-Nichols, COICES Recording Secretary
Kim Phillips, COICES Corresponding Secretary