Walter Harvey Tycksen

WALTER HARVEY TYCKSEN Funeral services for longtime Cortez resident Walter Harvey Tycksen will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 29 at the Ertel Memorial Chapel with Pastor Anthony Maes officiating. Cremation will follow. Walter was born February 1, 1924 to Nis Larce and Alice Eveline (Wheeler) Tycksen in his family’s cabin on Beaver Creek, east of Bayfield, Colorado. He passed away on October 24, 2011 in Cortez. Walter is survived by his wife of 63 years, Audrey Ruth (Bixler) Tycksen, brother Howard Tycksen of Farmington, daughters Sandra Staley (husband Charles deceased) of Alvin Texas, Janet Corey and husband Dave of Craig, Colorado and Sue McWilliams and husband, Slim, of Lewis Colorado. Grandchildren include Sheryl Ronquille and David Harper, James Staley and wife Michelle, John Staley and wife Amber, David Corey and Janell Neubauer, Roger Corey and wife Alegra, Grant Corey and wife Alisa, Jessie Southerland and Erin Gray and husband Eric. Walter is also survived by 10 great grandchildren. Walter lived near Bayfield until he was 8 years old, at which time his family moved in two horse drawn wagons to a ranch south of Grants, New Mexico. They lived there until Walter started High School. At that time, the family again used horse drawn wagons to move their household goods to Farmington, New Mexico, where he graduated from high school. Immediately after graduating, he and his brother joined the Navy and served in World War II. Walter was assigned to the crew that was rebuilding the USS California, which had been sunk at Pearl Harbor. He served on that ship for the duration of the war and was on board in Tokyo Bay when Japan surrendered. After the war, Walter returned to Farmington. He met Audrey Ruth Bixler at a Grange Hall dance in Breen and they were married on January 5, 1949. They moved to Summit Ridge about 1952 and have made their home in this area since. Walter and Audrey were among the first to raise Registered Angus Cattle in Southwest Colorado, winning many awards at various state fairs. In 1973, Walter and Audrey moved northeast of Cahone where they continued to raise Black Angus on their dryland farm. During the 1990’s, Walter won numerous awards for best bull sires at the Fort Lewis/Hesperus Test Center. Their cattle herd was sold during the drought of 2002. In addition to farming and ranching, Walter worked for the Plywood Plant near Dolores, worked on drilling rigs from Wyoming to Brazil, outfitted and guided hunters in the San Juan mountains for many years, owned and operated a conifer tree farm and landscape business. Walter was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church, Southwest Colorado Livestock Association and the Colorado Outfitters Association. Walter loved all things outdoors; hunting, fishing, working the farm land, raising livestock, bee keeping and he took pleasure in his orchards. He was an honest, hard working man; a good husband and father. He touched the lives of many and he will be missed.