Jason Alan Richards

Funeral services for Jason Alan Richards, age 32, will be at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 20, 2017 at the New Life Wesleyan Church in Gillette, Wyoming, with Pastor Billie Wilson officiating; with a celebration of life and meal to follow at The Landing. Burial procession for close family and friends to the Mount Pisgah Cemetery will take place at2:00p.m. Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m., Sunday, March 19, 2017 at Walker Funeral Home. Jason was born July 11, 1984 in Deadwood, South Dakota to Carol Renee (Speirs) Richards and Mark Alan Richards (deceased). He attended elementary and middle school in the Lead/Deadwood School District in South Dakota. His family moved to Gillette, Wyoming in 1999. He graduated from Campbell County High School in 2003. He passed away on March 12, 2017 in Durango, Colorado. Jason met Melissa York his freshman year and they quickly became inseparable. In 2001, they were blessed with their first son Tanner Alan. The three of them officially became a family on December 31, 2003. Jason and Melissa completed their family with the birth of Brady James in 2004 and Mark Aiden in 2011. Those three boys were the love of his life. Melissa and Jason divorced in 2016 after 12 years of marriage. Jason shared this last year with Tracy Cowger and her two sons, Aiden and Wyatt. They lived in Fort Smith, Arkansas and Durango, Colorado. They were able to incorporate several adventures into the short amount of time they were together. Jason was the delight of his parents and grandparents. As a toddler, he was a rambunctious rascal who charmed his way into people's hearts. As a teenager, he made friends easily because of his athleticism and his ability to make other people laugh. As an adult, he had a ready smile and put people at ease. He was a great conversationalist and was so much fun to be around. Because of his mischievous nature, he was always ready for a good time and the life of any party. While some might think he had an 'easy come, easy go' personality, he was a sensitive soul and felt many things deeply. Jason enjoyed working with his hands, a skill that started when he was a toddler. He was a gifted electrician, but he hated the repetitiveness of it. He worked hard and did not like to be idle. His brain was constantly busy coming up with new ideas and inventions. He had a restless spirit and held several jobs over the years, always moving on to something bigger and more challenging. He built two homes, and remodeled three additional ones to sell. He was always willing to offer his time and knowledge to friends and family. He often offered to help without even needing to be asked. He adored being outdoors and hunting, something he shared with his father and boys. Camping and snowboarding were two of his prized hobbies. He treasured riding his motorcycle and would take long rides to clear his head. He had a deep connection to nature that started with his dad when he was young and only grew as he aged. He hoped to pass that love on to his children by introducing them to golf, bow hunting, four-wheeling, snowmobiling, and fishing and wakeboarding behind his boat. He loved spending time at the lake. Most of his hobbies were things he could do with his boys. Jason's sons played many sports but when they entered hockey, Jason became immersed in the sport. He learned enough to become a coach for the Gillette Hockey Association and play in a men's league. He and Melissa made many good friends during these years, calling several of them 'family'. He devoted countless hours to coaching his boys in little league and football as well. Fitness was important to Jason, and he fell in love with CrossFit. Ask him to show off his biceps or abs and he'd happily comply. Jason was competitive in all things, but especially board games and cards. He loved to win, and wasn't above cheating. He took a shine to gambling, becoming talented at playing poker. Ours was a close-knit family and he cherished being around his grandparents, parents, siblings, in-laws, cousins, sons, and nephews and nieces. He spoiled them all but especially his 4 nieces. He playfully wrestled with all of the kids, sometimes even taking on all 5 of the male 'cousins' at once (his three along with the 2 nephews). He always emerged the victor. He had a soft spot for his sister, Meri, and the two were very close. He was good friends and business partners with Dawn's husband, Paul. He was a committed mentor for Melissa's younger brother, Patrick. He relished being a dad and his adult life revolved around spending time with his three kids. Immediate family left to cherish his memory are his mother, Carol (Steve) Richards-Bishop of Wright, Wyoming; sisters, Dawn (Paul) Richards-Wagner of Arvada, Colorado and Meri (Joe) Thompson of Casper, Wyoming; and sons, Tanner, Brady and Aiden of Gillette, Wyoming. Jason was a wonderful son, brother, cousin, father, uncle and friend. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him. A memorial has been established for his sons' education. Memorials and condolences may be sent in care of Walker Funeral Home 410 Medical Arts Court, Gillette, WY 82716. Condolences may also be expressed at www.walkerfuneralgillette.com