Obituary of Loyd Place

“CACTUS” Loyd Everett Place died on April 6, 2014, at Hugo, Colorado. Loyd was born on August 28, 1919 to James E. and Emma M. (Royal) Place in Arriba, Colorado. Loyd was 10 months old when his mother passed away. He was the youngest of 6 children. Arriba was his home and he only lived in Douglas, Nebraska for a few months when he was 7. He attended Arriba schools and graduated from Arriba High on May 13, 1941. Loyd became a school bus driver for the Arriba Schools in 1942. He retired in 1984 after driving bus for 42 years. Loyd while driving bus farmed for other area farmers and worked for all the gas stations. Loyd held various positions for the town of Arriba. Some of these were street repairs, water meter reader, fire chief, and whatever else the town needed him for. He served on the Arriba Town Board for eight years, volunteered at the senior meal site and serving as President of the Arriba Senior Circle for many years. Loyd never married but had lots of people in Arriba he considered family and treated the kis on the bus as his own. Loyd acquired his nickname “Cactus” early on in his bachelor days and it really stuck. A lot of the people in Arriba never knew his given name. Loyd was always willing to help his friends in Arriba with whatever they needed help with. In turn they were always ready to help him and include him in activities. His friends are what kept him going on his own at Leisure Pines senior apartments until February 2006 when he went to live at the Lincoln County Care Center. He resided there until his death. He always enjoyed visiting with his siblings and their families. He was always willing to try something new that his nieces and nephews wanted to go do. They got him interested in bowling, drive in movies, and they loved to go shooting with him when they came to Arriba to visit. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Anna and brothers; Eddie, Fred, Lawrence and Alvin. Loyd is survived by nieces and many great-nieces and great-nephews. His niece Carol Carmack wants to thank his long – time friends Harvey and Nadine Dumcum and Dianne Petty for all the things they did for Loyd and for her. Especially helping with nursing home meetings and meeting his every day needs. Loyd’s smile, sparkling blue eyes and humor will be missed.