James Addington

Twisty-Jim Addington, born James March Addington March 30, 1942, in Gardner, Colorado, died at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 22, 2012, in Durango, Colorado. There will be a memorial service at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at Victorious Life Fellowship, located at 25th and Junction Streets, Durango, with a reception to follow at his daughter's house (Ashley Addington). He will be buried in Gardner Cemetery on Thursday, June 28, 2012.

Twisty-Jim was the consummate individualistic, western maverick, living life on his own terms. He could spin a yarn, so tall and long, that his "twisted tales" are legendary to all who knew him. He was born in Gardner, Colorado; lived in Durango, Pagosa Springs, Levita, and Aspen, Colorado, and California as a youth; spent summers on his great-uncles cow-camp on Mount Sopris; graduated from Burbank, California's Poly-Tech High-School in 1964; was a member of the Townsmen car-club in high-school; drove heavy equipment for his father's contracting company; served in the U.S. Marine Corps; hitch-hiked across Europe and North-Africa; was a craftsman, making and operating a leather-making company for many years; was a horseman, running Rocky Mountain Safaris; was a salesman, selling Native American weavings and then automobiles; was a hunter, fisherman and gardener; was a dear friend, father, husband and uncle. His infectious humor and laughter will live-on in the hearts of all who knew him. May God bless Twisty-Jim and all his family and friends.

He is survived by his daughter, Ashley Addington; stepsons, Vernon and RJ Ferrell and Robert Lee Shalfant; sister-in-law, Nakita Addington; niece, Feather Addington; nephew-in-law, Bill Czalpka; niece, Jill Greenwood; nephews, Luke Addington and Brett Griffin; ex-wives, Dale Greenwood, Melodie Addington, Norma Stuebinger and Diane Gomez; great-nieces, Wendy and Olivia Czalpka; Kate and Ivy Gruenwald; Maisey Griffin; Evilyn Ferrell; great-nephews, Eli Gruenwald; Damian Addington-Zindell; Mavrick, Avery and Nate Griffin. Pastor Stan Formby; parish members of Victorious Life Fellowship Church; and many friends in southwestern Colorado and beyond. He is preceded in death by brother, Jack Addington; father, Burchard Addington; mother, Ruth Addington; and step-mother, Mickey Addington.