Obituary of A.T. Kjosness

Arnold Thomas Kjosness, Jr. (aka A.T. Kjosness) was born in Limon, Colorado on December 21,1936 and passed away in his sleep on January 9, 2023. He was the second son of Arnold T. and Irma L. (Kelser) Kjosness. He attended Prairie View one-room schoolhouse through eighth grade. He traveled to school everyday by riding a horse or walking country roads. In 1950, A.T. was confirmed and joined the Walks Camp Lutheran Church north of Genoa in 1950. He attended Limon High School and graduated in 1954. While in school (1952), he was chosen “Youth of the Week” by the Record Stockman and a member of the Lincoln County Livestock Judging Team that won first place at state and represented Colorado at the International Livestock Show in Chicago, IL. In January of 1955, he was drafted into the US Army. In 1957, he was honorably discharged due to an optic tumor that was removed but left him blind in his right eye for the remainder of his life. For a brief time he attended Colorado State University in Ft. Collins before having the brain tumor removed by doctors from Walter Reed. After surgery he lived and worked as a rancher/farmer north of Genoa, Colorado when he met and married Wilma Whelden in April of 1962. In this union, three children were born. A.T. was a member of the Lincoln County Stockman Association for over 40 years and the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association for 30 years. He served on both of their boards; two years as Vice President and two years as President. Throughout his lifetime, he raised registered Shorthorn cattle. Some of his cattle were shown by others at the National Western Stock Show. A.T. is preceded in death by his parents Arnold and Irma, sister Irma Kay Kjosness, brother, Teddy Kjosness, sister Mary Kjosness Bender, brother-in-law, Tom Bender, niece, Theresa Bottger, brother, Denis Leigh Kjosness, brother-in-law, Larry Torline, and nephew Mason Bender. On the Whelden side he is preceded in death by his in-laws - Gerold and Thelma (Butler) Whelden, brother-in-law, Veron Whelden, nephew, Wade Douglas Whelden, and brother-in-law Frank Musgrave. Immediate family includes son, Kenneth Vaughn Kjosness, and wife, Wilma Jane Whelden Kjosness. In 2005 he remarried Carolyn Rachick of Portage, MI who also passed in 2019. He is survived by his sister, Martha Torline (Kjosness), son, Pete Louis Kjosness (Laurie Jo), granddaughter, Kennedy Jannae Kjosness, daughter Lori Lea Kjosness Dodge (David), granddaughter Vanessa Dodge Curry (Mark), granddaughter Christina Dodge, grandson, Shane Dodge (Teah), seven great grandchildren - Mark Shannon Curry, Arianna Curry, Ethan Curry, Jayden Darrow, Peyton Dodge, McKinley Dodge, Owen Dodge and many nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, neighbors, and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the following: Lincoln County Stockman Association at PO Box 825, Hugo, Colorado 80821, and the Colorado Talking Book Library at 180 Sheridan Boulevard, Denver, Colorado 80226. The Service Will be Live Streamed for those that would like to view the service. The link is below: http://fb.me/e/3jomBhAx5