BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) – Tralona Bartkowiak, a 49-year-old with a zest for life, was one of 10 people killed at the Boulder King Soopers on Monday.
She ran a clothing and art store in Boulder called Umba Love and was known by friends as Lonna.
“She was definitely one of the brightest people you could meet – always had a smile, always approachable every day,” said Miles McDonald.
Outside of Lonna’s store, customers who have become family laid flowers to pay their respects and remember her service to the community.
“She welcomed everyone there. It was a very safe space, very free of judgement. She catered to all styles shapes and sizes and made sure you felt beautiful and amazing. She boosted so many of our local artists,” Maggi Schultheis, who goes by Magnetic Moon, said. “She had close to 100 local artists there and some larger artists.”
Supporting, loving, charismatic and compassionate are just some of the adjectives those who knew Lonna used to describe her.
“Thinking about her in that moment and hoping that there wasn’t suffering and just that it was peaceful,” Moon said.
They’re also clinging on to the sense of hope and optimism she always shared.
“Seems like she was in a really happy place when she went. She was engaged to be married she had so much love and people around her,” McDonald said.