Obituary of James Hodgkinson

James F. Hodgkinson (JimBob, JB, Jimbo) was born July 24th, 1956 to Carl and Patricia Hodgkinson in Dodge City, KS. He was the middle child surround by 4 sisters: Shari, Sandee, Judy and Jean. In 1966 the family moved to Arvada, Colorado where Jim grew up. As a child little Jimmy enjoyed playing baseball, collecting baseball cards, and spending countless summers on his Uncle Bob’s (Robert McClelland) farm in Burlington, CO. In his early teens Jim began the lifelong career of a self-employed entrepreneur after borrowing enough money from his father to start a small lawn care business. Jim was awarded a collegiate athletic scholarship to play baseball at University of Northern Colorado but a tragic tractor accident in Oklahoma prior to college rendered Jim uncapable of playing baseball but still allowed him to experience college while avoiding class. Jim decided his collegiate life was not financially sustainable so he “took a few years off to see the world”. At the age of 21 Jim began classes at Colorado State University where he later received a degree in landscape horticulture. While at CSU Jim met some of his closest friends Danny Cravens, Royce Raddatz, Chris Gunderson, and Mike Brand with whom he spent countless hours fishing, hunting, earning free beers, and ‘studying’. A few years later Jim worked as the head grounds keeper at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado where he met his wife Sylvia who worked as a helicopter flight nurse. They married in 1985 and their first son Bobby arrived exactly 9 months later! Early in their marriage Jim started Quality Cut Lawn Care Service which became very successful. 3 ½ years after Bobby, Jim and Sylvia were graced with another son as Donny Lee (Rooster) entered the world. In 1997 Jim wanted to get his family out of the big city and they moved to Burlington, CO. Jim built the family home, Subway sandwich shop, Fat Boy’s pizzeria and the Hoof ‘n’ Horn steakhouse from the ground up. Jim later sold the restaurants and constructed and operated Mr. Goodrinse carwash in Goodland, Kansas. JimBob enjoyed hosting pheasant and dove hunting parties where he “rarely” missed shots. All in all Jim was a fun-loving, hard-working, patient man who preferred the love and company of his family and friends over anything else. He took so much pride in teaching his boys as many lessens as his mind could muster. Jim is survived by his wife Sylvia, sons Bobby and Donny, and his four sisters Shari, Sandee, Judy and Jean. The family would like it to be known that Jim was an organ donor and believed firmly in helping others.