Obituary of Richard Gossett

Richard Gossett passed away March 11, 2011 at his home in Hugo, Colorado. He was born in Sheldon Missouri on June 17, 1941 the oldest of Glen and Irene Smith Gossett’s three sons. When Richard was about six months old, the family moved to Colorado Springs, CO and shortly thereafter to Lincoln County. Richard started his education in a one-room country school, but graduated from Hugo High School in 1959. He was an adventurous young boy, continually getting into mischief and landing himself and his brother(s) into hot water. In high school he loved playing football, cruising around town and taking apart and fixing his car of the moment. He also developed his entrepreneurial skills at an early age, landing the newspaper delivery job for the entire town of Hugo at around age 12. In January 1961 Richard married “the best gal in Lincoln County” Janie Palmateer and they were life long partners for the next 50 years. In 1965 they bought a house in Lakewood, CO where they lived for the next 37 years. They raised three biological children, Dan, Mike, and Deanna, and “unofficially” adopted son Kevin Reynolds. Richard was quick to open his home and heart to anyone who needed his wisdom and guidance. Richard had many hobbies and interests to occupy his time. He never met a card game he didn’t like, loved hunting elk, deer and antelope, was an expert marksman, raced cars with his sons, and owned a top flight NASCAR late model stock car at Colorado National Speedway. Richard and his hunting buddy, Kenny, never missed an elk season in over 30 years, and the way Richard would tell it, he never missed a shot either. Richard liked to play hard, but he always worked hard too. Richard worked construction jobs in the summers through high school, but due to financial limitations, wasn’t able to finish college. In 1961 Richard moved to Denver to find work and soon started working for Bell Surveying as a draftsman. He shortly discovered he preferred the freedom and “outdoor office” the land surveying end of the business offered. He thereafter made land surveying his life’s occupation. Richard got his Colorado Land Surveyor’s license in December 1966, at the time, the youngest person to hold that honor in the state. He became a partner in Bell Surveying Co. in 1970 and bought controlling interest in the business in 1981. He eventually became licensed in 7 states. Richard and Janie moved back to Hugo in 2002 to enjoy retirement. In retirement, Richard and Janie enjoyed restoring Richards’s fleet of classic cars, watching the calves, bunnies and deer playing in the fields behind their home and reveling in the quiet country life Hugo offered. Richard was preceded in death by his father Glen and his mother Irene. He is survived by his wife Janie his sons; Dan & Frances of Chattanooga, TN, Mike & Tracy with children John & Jessie of Littleton, CO, Kevin and Tif of Lakewood, CO and daughter, Deanna of Littleton, CO. Also surviving are his brothers and sister-in-law Don & Bonnie and Dwayne & Barbara, and special nephews and a host of family and friends.