Jan. 29, 1937 ~ Aug. 10, 2025
James (Jim) Lee Ruckman was the firstborn son of Raymond Roy Ruckman and Clara Maud Johnson Ruckman, born on Jan. 29, 1937, in Powell Park, Rio Blanco County. When he was a toddler, around 1940, his family moved from the ranch on Powell Park to the town of Meeker. His parents gave him four little brothers, Jack, Benjamin (Ben), Robert (Bob), and George (Joe). Ben passed away as a toddler.
Jim passed away on Aug. 10, 2025, in Grand Junction, Colorado, from complications of Alzheimer’s.
Although his father, Raymond, was a legendary cowboy, he became one of Meeker’s earliest plumbers, and Jim and his brothers were expected to do as much as they were able to help. They grew up in the little cabin on 12th and Park, growing a garden, raising rabbits, hunting, fishing and helping Ray. His mother, Clara, had had rheumatic fever as a child, which left her somewhat frail. She passed away when Jim was barely a teenager.
Jim also had some health issues as a kid, with polyps growing in his sinuses. The polyps would get so large that they would impact his physical growth and even cause temporary blindness. He contracted Rocky Mountain Spotted Tick fever in his 30s, and the resulting Lyme disease was a challenge. No doubt this had an impact on his vision, joints, and stature in later life.
In 1956, he married Barbara Joyce Wolfe. That same year, he began serving in the U.S. Army, stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While stationed there, he served as a marksmanship trainer. It was apparent that learning to shoot, which was required to eat in Colorado, had its benefits. In July of 1957, his daughter, Teresia Rose (Terri Rose), was born in Madisonville, Kentucky. The following year, they returned to Meeker, moving into the tiny apartment his dad had built on top of the plumbing shop. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last, but Jim retained custody of Terri.
He enrolled in CSU to pursue an education in engineering, but his dad needed his help back home, so he went back to work for his dad and began taking some mail-order classes to educate himself. He developed true talent and knowledge in all phases of construction, cabinet making, and wood finishing. He was curious and determined. He became a legendary problem-solver, rarely turning down a job or a challenge. If he couldn’t find the right tool to do the job, he would make the tool. When his son, Tom, needed help getting a boiler running on a rig in the oil field, a simple phone call to Dad was all that was needed to get it running, despite the fact that the rig’s electrician couldn’t get it done. When his daughter, Terri, needed to install a water heater on the Front Range, a phone call to Dad was all that was needed. He gave great directions over the phone. He was known in the community as someone with a brilliant mind who could fix almost anything. At one point he found out about wood foundations for houses. So he went to the training and returned to Meeker and started building wood foundations. All of them are still standing and sound. One of his favorite sayings was: “My aim is that when my hands will work no longer, the works of my hands will continue to keep on working.”
In 1961, he married Donna Hopperstad and adopted her two children, Melody and Thomas. He bought the house on the corner of 4th and Main, which was the first framed house ever built in Meeker. He raised his family there on that corner, with a yard full of horses, goats, dogs, and other critters. He never knew a dog he didn’t like or a dog that didn’t like him. Sadly, his marriage to Donna ended 17 years later.
He was a great teacher, always showing anyone who asked how to do things. He served as a 4-H leader. He was determined to make Meeker a better place. When the town of Meeker decided that they were going to banish horses from being kept inside the town limits, he went on the defensive to make sure there were regulations in place to let them stay. If we are going to remain a rural community that benefits from having our horses in town, like the fair and rodeo, we shouldn’t make our citizens keep them somewhere else the rest of the time, he reasoned. He served as the president of the Meeker Chamber of Commerce and made a trip to Washington, D.C., to talk to politicians about developing tourism in Meeker. He would later say that he might have done that job too well. He was dedicated to the Jaycees when they would cook a pig on a spit for the 4th of July.
He was a firefighter and EMT, saving many lives and putting out a lot of fires. He was an Evinrude dealer for a number of years, snowmobiling every weekend in winter and working on them in the evenings after a hard day’s work. He was instrumental in the Meeker Park Ice Skating Pond. He grew potatoes with his Uncle Floyd on South Fork, which fed the family (and townspeople) for many years and provided Mel, Tom, and Terri with an opportunity to weed a good acre and get dirty. In all of these activities, his kids were with him. He taught them to work hard, never be afraid to think outside the box, and use their brains.
In 1982, Sue Kirkham became his life partner. Like any relationship, they had their ups and downs. She stayed by him through thick and thin to the very end.
He and his brother Bob partnered in a construction company, Holzberlein-Ruckman Construction and Ruckman Incorporated. They owned Ruckman Construction, Ruckman Paint and Decorating as well. He left his mark on many, many buildings in town. He followed his father’s footsteps in taking care of the Hugus Building until he retired in 2017. He was a big part of the remodel that added the elevator, stairs, and inner walls to the Hugus Building while retaining the historic integrity of the building. He made a new window for the Holy Family Catholic Church, which you can see as you drive by on Park Avenue in Meeker. He later partnered with Mike Whalin to do builds and renovations around town. Although they argued like a married couple, they did high-quality work. Folks in Meeker were fortunate to have such a high level of craftsmanship available.
Jim and Sue moved to Grand Junction in 2017 to be closer to medical care and to avoid shoveling and driving in the snow.
He was known for having a temper, which was more apparent when he didn’t feel well. He was also known for his quick wit. Whether he was setting a helper up to get poop on his head while fixing a sewer line or hiding under a sink to surprise someone, you were sure to have a laugh. You had to be quick and smart to catch his humor. He was known for his kindness. He never got rich in the monetary way, because he gave much of his time and work away.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Clara Maud; his father, Roy Raymond Ruckman; his brothers: Jack, Benjamin, Robert, and George; and his grandson, Michael Aaron Bowden. He is survived by his wife, Sue Kirkham; his daughter, Teresia (Scott) Reed; his son, Thomas Ruckman; his daughter, Melody Robinson; his grandchildren: Ame (Doug) Warren, EJ (Dawn) LeClair, and Thomas Ruckman; 11 great-grandchildren and three great-great-great-grandchildren. He was a great man and is deeply missed.
Services will be held at Calahan-Edfast, 2515 Patterson Rd., Grand Junction, CO 81505, at 2 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025
Interment will be held at Highland Cemetery, Meeker, CO 81641 at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.