Jimmy Clyde Horton
Aug. 4, 1953 ~ July 30, 2023
Jim C. Horton passed away on Sunday, July 30, 2023, at the Grand Junction VA Medical Center, after a short battle with cancer. He was 69 years old.
Jim was born on Aug. 4, 1953, in Grand Junction, Colorado, to Glenda Ryan and Jim Garner. In 1954 Jim was adopted by the man he would call dad, Lowell Horton. Jim was the oldest of Glenda and Lowell’s six children. He and his siblings — Bev, Billy, Art, Leana and Nancy — were raised on John Brown, up above Gateway, through his eighth-grade year, then the family moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, so he could attend high school. He grew up hunting and fishing and loved the outdoors. Following high school, Jim enlisted in the U.S. Navy, in 1971. He completed two tours in Vietnam and served in the U.S. Navy until his honorable discharge in 1977. Following his discharge from the Navy, Jim completed an associate degree from Maui Community College. For several years he worked in security in Hawaii, California and Colorado. He retired after 20 years, as office manager of Sunshine Taxi in Grand Junction.
While stationed in the Philippines, he met and married his wife of 50 years, Annie. They briefly lived in the Philippines, Maui, Hawaii and San Diego, California, before settling down in Jim’s hometown of Grand Junction. There they raised their four children: Liberty, Gordon, Jimmy and Sharon. During their 50 years of marriage, they would welcome eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Jim never met a stranger; everyone was just a friend he hadn’t met yet. It didn’t matter if he knew you his entire life or just for five minutes, you always felt welcomed, and special in his presence. He was always the type of guy to give you the shirt off his back. He was always willing to help his family and friends as much as he could and was happy to help. He enjoyed James Bond movies, old John Wayne movies, and classic country music. More than anything, Jim loved spending time with his family. Whether it was just a quick chat, or a large family gathering, he loved having time together. He liked being a dad, but he loved being a grandfather. His grandkids and great-grandkids were the joy of his life, his favorite title in life was Papa.
Jim is survived by his beautiful bride of 50 years, Annie; his children, Liberty (Mark) Takitani, Gordon, Jimmy, and Sharon Horton; his eight grandchildren, Noah, Nicolas, Nolan, Brandon, Roman, Taylor, Emilly (Josh) and Gracie; his four great- grandchildren, Hayden, Henry, Grayson and Catalina; his aunt Joan Ryan (Roger) Padilla of Rangely, Colorado; aunt Joy Yates of Blue Water, New Mexico; and Aunt Pat Horton of Moab, Utah. His siblings Beverly Astorga, Billy Horton, Arthur Horton, Leana (Dean) Cox and Nancy Horton, his many nieces and nephews, even more cousins, and many, many friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents Glenda and Lowell Horton; grandparents Lila (Gordon) Cox, Otto Horton and Myrtle Mize and Herschel Ryan; his uncles Gerald, Gary, Billy and Michael Ryan, Dale and Leonard Horton, Dick Justice and Herb Yates; aunts Sharon Ryan, Ila Mae Justice, Emily Horton and Arti (Goff) Ryan; his cousins Pat, David and Michelle Ryan; sister-in-law Nancy Peal-Horton, daughter-in-law Melissa Horton and nephews Zack Logan Cox and Andrew Brown.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at Martin’s Mortuary 550 North Ave., Grand Junction, on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, at 11:30 am, followed by Military Honors at 1 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado, 2830 Riverside Pkwy., Grand Junction, Colorado.
