Richard Wayne Musselman
Thu, 06/19/2014 - 6:00am
News Staff
Richard Wayne Musselman, 66, passed away on Feb. 23 in San Antonio, Texas. Richard was born November 5, 1947, in La Junta, Colo., to Harlold Eugene and Ellen O. Avara Musselman. After the marriage dissolved, he stayed with his maternal grandparents, Oscar and Virginia Avara, while his mom taught at the Higbee School. Ellen married Wesley White in 1950 and Richard lived with them on the Bun Lewis Ranch north of Cheraw, Colo. The family moved to the Ballsieger Ranch south of Karval in 1953 and then onto the Peyton Ranch in the early 1960s. Richard attended school in Sugar City until the fifth grade, then went to Karval public schools through most of his senior year. Playing football was one of the highlights of high school. Richard attained his GED in 1967. Richard married Jana Germany in 1968, and together they had Jonathan Christopher, Stephen James, Kathryn Elizabeth and Mary Leanna. Richard was doing construction work, farming and went back to trucking after his divorce was final in 1977. Richard worked hard throughout his life. At various times he did irrigated farming, pipeline jobs, fiber optic phone lines installation and had a Roto-Rooter business. For nearly thirty years, Richard enjoyed seeing most of the United States through the windows of his long-haul trucks. Richard had fun peddling fruit and visiting with people after retiring from trucking. Richard loved the outdoors, gardening, sunsets, waterfalls and people. He never met a stranger. In 1981 Richard met Patricia Vader in Montrose, and they got married in 1981 in Vernal, Utah. During their marriage they lived in many different states, including Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, California, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona and Texas. Richard was happy to be part of the Belgrade Montana Lions Club. Richard is survived by his wife Pat of Sugar City, Colo.; son Chris of Hobbs, N.M.; daughters Katy Musselman of Tulsa, Okla., and Leah (Felix) Jaimes-serrano of Coffeeville, Kan.; his grandchildren James, Avery, Catalina and Estavan Musselman; Blake, Eva, Jose and Ayne Jaimes-serrano. Richard is also survived by his stepdad Wesley White and his wife, Bonnie of Whitehall, Mont.; brother Ken White of Bozeman, Mont.; sister Donna (Larry) Nickell of Karval Colo.; nephew Jeremy Nickell (daughters Cassandra and Victoria) of Colorado Springs; niece Carissa (Greg) Smith (sons Spencer and Peyton) of Joes, Colo.; Aunt Betty Alexander of Garden City, Kan.; and Uncle Carl Avara of La Junta, Colo.; as well as numerous cousins. Richard is preceeded in death by his mother Ellen White, son Stephen Musselman, grandson Israel Jaimes-serrano and niece Rachelle Nickell. Memorial services will be held on June 29 from 2:30-4:30 p.m at West Tomichi River Way Pavilion in Gunnison (down from the Gunnison Senior Care Center).
