Richard James "Jim" Platz Jr.
Marriages
Laura A
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7 B In Memoriam - December 12, 2015
Richard James "Jim" Platz, Jr.
January 8, 1966 - December 12, 2013
Two years have passed since you were taken away so suddenly.
We think about you everyday, and miss you so much.
Love you forever and always.
Laurie Platz
April and Shane McCormick
J.J. and Hayli
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7B Death Notice - December 18, 2013
Richard James Platz Jr., 47, Fruita, died Dec. 12, 2013, in rural
Mesa County.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Callahan Edfast Mortuary.
Burial will follow at Clover Cemetery.
Mr. Platz was a rancher.
Survivors include his wife, Laura A. of Fruita; two sons, Clint
Platz of New Mexico and Matt Darnell of Grand Junction; three
daughters, Misty Jones of New Mexico, Jessica Grimsby and April
McCormack, both of Fruita; his mother, Jody Platz of Mack; one
brother, John Platz of Mack; two sisters, JoAnn Hindson of Grand
Junction, and Julie Platz of Mesa; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions to the Collbran Cattle Women, c/o Sylvia
Spangler, P.O. Box 363, Collbran 81624.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7B Obituary - December 18, 2013
Jim passed away Thursday,
December 12, 2013, in Collbran,
CO while flying looking for
cattle that weren’t accounted for
from summer pasture. He has left
us to go on in Cowboy heaven.
Jim was a Cowboy through and
through.
Jim was born January 8, 1966,
in Grand Junction, CO to Dick and Jody Platz. He is preceded in
death by his father.
Jim attended schools in the Grand Valley and graduated from
Gateway in 1984. His class was one of the biggest graduating
classes from Gateway. His Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Wright, gave
a speech at his graduation and presented him with his diploma.
Growing up, Jim participated in 4-H, basketball and baseball.
Being a Cowboy was in his blood. He saw no other way to make
a living, that is what he was meant to do in life and he wouldn’t
have had it any other way. He had been on a horse since he was two
months old. Jim left us doing what he loved. He worked on a ranch
when he was younger for the Craig family on the Uncompaghre.
They bought the ranch from Jim’s wife’s grandparents. In addition
to ranching, Jim was a rep for local sale barns and feedlots and
drove a truck hauling cattle and hay.
He married Laurie Standifird in June of 2000 in Loma, CO. They
lived in Fruita, ranched in Collbran in the summers, and wintered
in Eastern Utah. With Jim everyday was an adventure. He loved his
family and will be deeply missed by many.
Jim is survived by his wife, Laurie of Fruita; daughters, Misty
Jones of New Mexico; Jessi and Kevin Grimsby of Fruita, and April
and Shane McCormack of Fruita; sons, Clint Platz of New Mexico,
and Matt Darnell of Grand Junction; sisters, JoAnn and Mike
Hindson of Grand Junction, and Julie of Mesa, and brother, John
of Mack; six grandchildren, with one on the way; three nieces; two
nephews; three great-nephews; mother, Jody of Mack, and many
aunts, cousins and adopted ranching families.
Jim was with his friend, Will Kennon and pilot, Dana Brewer,
a trusted friend and pilot whom they had previously flown with
before, looking for cattle. They were looking for the cattle that
didn’t make the fall gather. The two would do whatever they had to
do to get every animal accounted for. They were going to find the
strays and figure out their game plan to get them out of the snow
banks and down from the high country for the winter.
Services will be Saturday, December 21, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at
Callahan-Edfast in Grand Junction, CO with burial following in
Collbran, CO at the Clover Cemetery at 1:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Plateau Valley
Cattlewoman’s Association c/o Sylvia Spangler, P.O. Box 363
Collbran, CO 81624.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7 B In Memoriam - December 12, 2014
It has been one year since you left
us so suddenly. We think of you
and miss you so much each day.
When we ride on the mountain
or anywhere that cattle is involved,
we think “what would Jim do”.
This year you have sent us on
many of your “Everyday’s An Adventure” rides. We think of you and
everything seems to fall into place. We know that you are watching
over us and are right there with us doing the jobs you have already done
and making sure things are done to your specs.
You and Will probably get some good laughs watching us. Jim and
Will Kennon rest in peace.
We love and miss you!
Your wife, Laurie Platz
April and Shane McCormack
J.J. “Ponch” and Hayli