Bruce Warren Willard, age 66, passed on December 24, 2023 at home with his family. Bruce is predeceased by his father Robert Willard and step-father Ernie Austin. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth Willard, his daughters Kristin Zasada (Zach), Natalie Snead (Patrick), Claire Willard and Jessica Willard, four grandchildren, his mother Ann (Austin) McMurren, his brother Randy Willard (Kimberly), and nieces and nephews.

Bruce was born in Denver and grew up in Greeley. He attended Cameron Elementary, Heath Junior High,New Mexico Military Academy, and the Air Force Academy. Bruce was recruited by the Air Force Academy to play football but when told he would never make the tennis team he took on the challenge and excelled. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1979 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and completed his active service as a T-38 instructor pilot and continued in the Reserves until 1997. He returned to Greeley in 1987 to work with his step-father Ernie Austin at Austin and Austin Real Estate, helping to build one of Greeley’s finest and Colorado’s oldest multi-generational real estate brokerage firms. Bruce was a real estate quadruple-threat of Residential Realtor, Commercial Realtor, Certified Appraiser, and Managing Broker.

Bruce was well known for his deep intelligence, integrity, work ethic, sharp wit and love for animals, especially dogs. He never complained as his health declined and always replied “everything will be OK” when questioned. He loved golf, wood-working, gardening, tennis, a wide range of music, fly fishing, and reading history- particularly military and U.S. related. Bruce had a tight-knit group of golf buddies that provided camaraderie, many laughs, and the opportunity to temporarily forget about his serious health condition. He maintained long term friendships with fellow Air Force Academy cadets who he held in high esteem. He also cared deeply for everyone at Austin and Austin and was proud of their work and their contributions to the success of the company, and cherished the many shared laughs and great friendships.

He was invaluable to his kids for assistance with math homework, painfully long and detailed instructions on the proper golf and tennis swing, having spirited political discussions, and replaying experiences as an AFA “doolie” at the dinner table imitating upperclassman mealtime harassment “tuck that chin in, shoulders back, cage those eyeballs mister!”. Bruce was infamous for his special bucket hat with fake long grey hair that he once wore to a Middle School parent teacher conference -much to his daughter’s horror- and a blow up T-Rex costume he delightedly wore at the annual Willard Arrowhead Golf Party while shouting into his megaphone, “no cheating!” He had a wonderful, dry sense of humor that stayed with him to the very end and will be missed.

Raised in Eaton, Sarah has a strong appreciation and respect for the people and culture of Northern Colorado. She earned her B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Management and an emphasis in Real Estate from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Sarah started her career in the music and publishing industry but quickly transitioned to residential and commercial real estate, focusing on property management. Sarah is excited to build long-lasting relationships with her clients through stellar customer service.

Chuck is a fourth generation Greeley resident with 30+ years of real estate experience. He holds the Graduate of the REALTOR® Institute and Certified Residential Specialist designations, and is the past director of the Greeley Area REALTOR® Association. More than 75 percent of Chuck’s business comes from referrals—a testament to his expertise and client-centered approach. Chuck is also the past president of the Union Colony Pioneer Society. He and his family are involved in local sports and community events in Greeley, where they live.

Ted has over 35 years of experience in the real estate business and is one of the partners of Austin & Austin. He specializes in land issues, and is a recognized expert in the areas of water rights, agricultural properties, rural acreages, development properties, land planning and zoning issues. Ted is a graduate of the REALTOR® Institute, belongs to the REALTORS® Land Institute, and has been designated as a Colorado Land Specialist and Certified Residential Specialist. Ted and his family live on and operate their irrigated farm southwest of Eaton.

Brigitte has lived in Greeley all her life and has had the privilege of watching it grow. She especially enjoys working with first-time homebuyers, but she has experience with a wide variety of real estate, ranging from new construction to classic homes. Count on Brigitte to prioritize your needs and preferences and to be your advocate in any buying or selling transaction. She’s been with Austin & Austin since 2005. Brigitte’s enthusiasm and warm personality always make working with her an enjoyable experience.

Tamra thrives on helping clients with their real estate dreams. She has a business marketing degree from University of Wyoming and utilizes that daily in helping her clients sell their homes. She has been in the real estate industry since 2013, with extensive experience in staging, interior design and transaction coordinating. She’s lived in the Greeley area for more than 20 years, raising her three children with her husband Tom. Call her with any of your real estate questions or needs today.

Raised in Greeley, and growing up in the family business, Higgins Hardware, I have a respect and appreciation of the people of Greeley and Weld county. I earned my B.S. in Business Finance at the University of Northern Colorado. Before joining Austin & Austin, Mike played professional basketball in many different countries. His wife Norka is a native of Spain. They have a daughter, Rachel, and a dog named Marley. He enjoys coaching youth sports and many outdoor activities.

Sue has been a respected Broker Associate since 2000, focusing on service rather than sales numbers. She specializes in new and existing homes on acreages, as well as vacant land. She is passionate about helping clients realize their real estate dreams and provides exceptional personal service. Sue has a Business Administration degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She and her family live in Eaton, where Sue is an area specialist and a participant in community events.

John has been helping people with their real estate dreams for more than 30 years. He has extensive experience in agricultural properties, water and 1031 exchange. He is a Colorado native and Army veteran, serving as a military policeman in the Canal Zone in Panama in the 1980s.

John is dedicated to making the buying and selling process and simple and easy as possible while protecting the interests of his clients. It’s no surprise that more than 50% of his business is through referrals!  He has a wealth of knowledge about real estate in Northern Colorado, from Longmont north to Fort Collins. truly enjoys working with first time homebuyers. He lives in Windsor and has one son, Heath. He enjoys football, hockey, hunting and fishing.

One of Natalie’s earliest memories is running down the halls of the Austin & Austin Real Estate offices in her socks. And it’s no surprise, because her great grandfather founded the company in 1903. She’s the fourth generation of her family to be a part of the business! She was the office manager at Austin & Austin for six years, learning the ins and outs of the business. She decided to become a licensed broker in June 2021 and loves helping her clients with their home buying and selling goals. The Greeley native also helps raise funds for Helping Heroes Fly, a Greeley nonprofit that helps active military personnel with flights home for funerals, holidays and emergencies. She has a young son that keeps her on her toes—and who knows? He might end up running the agency one day!

Born and raised on a farm in Weld County, Dale has been a real estate professional since 2003. He has vast experience in land development, buying and selling land and Colorado water rights. He also worked with governmental agencies in land development and commercial properties. This allows him to help people with residential, commercial, farm, ranch and water needs. He loves to provide his buyers and sellers with an honest and informed experience when buying and selling a home. Married to his wife Lori in 1977, they have a son, Scott and a daughter, Stephanie.

A Weld County native, Anne has been a fixture in Northern Colorado real estate for more than 32 years. She is a graduate of the Realtor Institute and holds the Short Sales and Foreclosures Resource and Master of Real Estate designations. Anne runs Austin & Austin’s satellite office in Ault, and is the recognized expert in Eaton, Ault, Pierce, Nunn, Briggsdale and Grover. Anne and her family live in Ault as well, where they enjoy being part of the tight-knit community.

Anne was named the Best of North Weld County Realtor® by the Greeley Tribune in 2015.