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THE LEGACY OF A REGIS JESUIT EDUCATION
While Rick Dutton ’57 is a modest man, he loves to talk about how Regis Jesuit High School—and the people he met there—shaped his life. His story, he likes to point out, starts with his father James.
James and his older brother Frank were raised by nuns at the St. Vincent Orphanage in Denver. The brothers were so close and loved the place so much that when James had the opportunity for adoption, he declined. He could not bear to leave his brother behind. When he eventually outgrew the orphanage at age 16, James was fortunate to find a new place to live on the former Regis North Denver campus, where he stayed in an upstairs room and attended what was named Regis High School at the time.
James and his older brother Frank were raised by nuns at the St. Vincent Orphanage in Denver. The brothers were so close and loved the place so much that when James had the opportunity for adoption, he declined. He could not bear to leave his brother behind. When he eventually outgrew the orphanage at age 16, James was fortunate to find a new place to live on the former Regis North Denver campus, where he stayed in an upstairs room and attended what was named Regis High School at the time.
Rick said, “My dad served as an altar boy for the priests and graduated from Regis. Later, because he had been an orphan, he wanted his children to have the best of everything and that included school. According to my father, Regis was absolutely where I was going to go. So, my mother said her novenas. She just prayed and prayed that I would get in.” Two years later, Rick’s brother, Ray Dutton ’59, was also accepted.
Rick has remained close with his classmates for seven decades, returning for reunions and keeping up with his friends’ careers. “It’s just amazing how many lawyers, doctors and scientists came out of that one small group of boys,” he said.
After Regis, Rick joined the Coast Guard and corresponded with Fr. Krieger, SJ, throughout his tour. Returning home, he attended the University of Colorado, where he was a ski jumper and downhill racer with what would now be the non-varsity CU Ski Club. Rick crashed on the course at the DU Winter Carnival, where Pat, now his wife, was serving as a volunteer. She helped him up and the rest is history!
Pat graduated from the University of Denver with her teaching degree, and she and Rick were married the next day. While Pat taught in Denver, she supported Rick through his own studies. Upon his graduation, they moved to California for Rick’s job at Crown Zellerbach while Pat taught in East Palo Alto. Still drawn to working with children, Rick—encouraged by Pat—returned to Denver, where he earned a teaching degree and later two master’s degrees from DU. He went on to teach, become a principal and eventually serve as Director of Elementary Schools for Denver Public Schools.
He said, “I always wanted to work in the toughest neighborhoods with the children who needed the most support. Pat felt the same way.” Once their children went to kindergarten, Pat served for decades as a substitute teacher. Their son, Jeff Dutton ’87, went to Regis Jesuit; their daughter Kelly went to St. Mary’s.
Rick shared, “I can honestly say everything I have accomplished in my life goes back to my Regis education. Father Hahn, SJ, said, ‘Do your little bit when it's given.’ Father Krieger, SJ, said, ‘Don't skip steps to a solution,’ and of course, ‘Mr. Dutton, you ruined my test!’ Father Deeman, SJ, gave me my appreciation for the arts and theater in which Pat and I are still involved. And thanks to Father Bakewell, SJ, who taught our Pre-Cana classes, Pat joined the Catholic Church and we have a strong marriage.” Now in their 62nd year of marriage, Rick and Pat are retired.
Rick recalled: “Whenever you turned in a paper, you wrote at the top AMDG and BVMH. That was a reminder that whatever you do, you should be doing it for the Greater Glory of God and for the Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If you keep that in front of you as you are making decisions, it is amazing how you will adjust your thinking.”
When pressed, Rick humbly agrees to share that he supports Regis Jesuit financially—initially through the annual fund and now through an endowed scholarship for minority students.
“I want for every child to have the opportunity for a Jesuit education,” he said, “because it can affect your whole life. It is not just four years and done. It is something that stays with you your whole life.”
The Rick ’57 and Pat Dutton Scholarship joins more than eighty other endowed scholarships at Regis Jesuit that are now featured on a wall in the Science & Innovation Center that reflects a commitment to making education accessible for generations to come.
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Regis Jesuit High School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school-administered programs.