Conor P. McMahon

Conor P. McMahon loved to ski and ride his motorcycle, and he managed to do both in the days before he died on a highway near Evergreen this weekend.

McMahon, 27, who lived in Denver but grew up in Boulder and worked here, was killed Sunday morning on Colo. 74 in Jefferson County when he crashed his motorcycle into a car that was making a left turn.

The 2000 Boulder High School graduate and former Marine was out on a ride a day after pursuing another passion and hitting the slopes, said his cousin.

“It was a great last couple of days,” said Michael McMahon, who worked with his cousin at the family-owned McMahon & Co., a Boulder-based employee benefits and financial services consulting firm.

Conor McMahon was a U.S. Marine for four years, reaching the rank of sergeant and serving in Afghanistan, Michael McMahon said Monday.

After being honorably discharged from the Marines, the Boulder native enrolled at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado and earned his bachelor’s degree in 2007.

He had been working at McMahon & Co. in the retirement benefits department for eight months when he was killed, Michael McMahon said. The company was founded more than 30 years ago by Conor McMahon’s father, Kevin McMahon, who still runs the company.

Michael McMahon, 36, said his uncle is struggling to deal with the news of his son’s death. He said Kevin McMahon told him “we were all blessed to have known him for as long as we knew him.”

Michael McMahon said his cousin had a great sense of humor.

“There wasn’t a challenge he didn’t feel he couldn’t rise up to,” Michael McMahon said. “Also, he loved having a good time with friends, be it skiing or riding his motorcycle. He really cherished his friendships.”

Conor McMahon, who was unmarried and didn’t have children, had an older sister.

The State Patrol said McMahon was a few cars behind an Audi that stopped for a left turn on Colo. 74 near Evergreen around 9:45 a.m. Sunday.

He tried to pass several stopped cars when the driver started to turn, authorities said. McMahon, who was wearing a helmet, braked hard and the motorcycle went sideways before colliding with the Audi.

The driver of the Audi — Mary J. Panek, 55 of Lakewood — was not injured. Her passenger — Judy Panek, 50, of Lakewood — suffered minor injuries, the State Patrol said.

An investigation is ongoing, though it’s not believed alcohol or drugs were involved.

Michael McMahon said his cousin was accompanied by a friend, who was riding on a separate motorcycle.

A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Boulder at 2 p.m. Thursday