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Longtime Moffat County resident James Harold Leander died Feb. 21, 2006, at age 84, in Stanford, Calif. Born on Dec. 8, 1921, in Long Beach, Calif., he was the eldest of two children born to Algot and Florence (Shaver) Leander. He was raised in Fullerton, Calif., and on the Shaver ranch in Axial.

Jim graduated from Fullerton High School with the Class of 1940. While in school, he was active in competitive swimming, boxing and water polo. An accomplished musician, he played the tenor saxophone and the clarinet.

Following his graduation from high school, Jim attended Fullerton Junior College. With the advent of World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was trained as a radioman. He served in the Solomon Islands and on the destroyer USS Chevalier.

After the war, Jim attended San Jose State University, where he majored in foreign languages and minored in geology.

Returning to the family ranch in 1950, Jim spent the next 45 years building a successful cattle operation. He was an active member of the Colorado Cattlemen's Association and the National Farmers Organization, and he served on the Soil Conservation Board.

In 1959, Jim married Joyce Proctor, of Meeker. Joyce brought to their union her two children from a previous marriage, Maxa Lea and Walt Proctor, and the family was completed when daughters Stacy and Marguerite were born.

Following the death of his wife in 1994, Jim moved to Saratoga, Calif., and eventually settled in nearby Campbell. In his final years, he devoted himself more fully to his lifelong interests that included music, photography, literature and writing.

Although Jim was always a man of integrity who valued hard work and kept his word, he seldom attended church. In his later years, though, his thoughts turned to his Creator and he was baptized at age 82.

A funeral was held on March 2, 2006, at the Fairfield Center in Meeker with Pastor Mervin Johnson officiating. Speakers were Jack Holzberlein and Mike Landgraf. The pianist was Elaine DeuPree, and Carla Watson and Leanne Gibson were the vocalists.

Pallbearers were Ted Wheeler, Jack Holzberlein, George Weisbeck, Frank Hamill, Curtis Durham, and Frank Sampson. Honorary Pallbearers were Homer Wilson, Lester Cox, Sherrill Cox, Harland Ross, Jake Hamill, Jim Poole and Dewey Camp. Interment was in the family plot at Highland Cemetery in Meeker. Military honors were conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 5843.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Joyce; and his brother Norman.

He is survived by his children, daughters Stacy (Michael) Landgra of Saratoga, Calif., Marguerite (Roger) Spink of Campbell, Calif., Maxa Lea (Lyle) Light of Easton, Penn., and son Walt (Rita) Proctor of Meeker; seven grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Connor, Gavin, Austin and Michaela Landgraf of Saratoga, Calif., Kathryn Bladen of Falls Church, Va., and George Proctor of Rifle; one great-grandchild, Lilian Munn of Falls Church, Va.; and two nephews Evan Leander of Cave Creek, Ariz., and James Leander of Detroit, Mich.

Memorial donations may be made, in care of Grant Mortuary, to the Disabled American Veterans or to the American Lung Association.