James Leslie Vancampen

James Leslie VanCampen was born on 01-01-1943 at 12:01 am to George Leslie and Emma Leone (McEndree) VanCampen about 10 miles northwest of Springfield.  They moved to the northwest corner of Baca County and lived there until 1945 when Leslie and Leone bought some land at the Frick Railroad Station that joined the Valley View School property.   Leslie and Leone built their home there in 1946 or 1947 where Jimmy was raised and went to school from the 1st-8th grades.   On Dec. 18, 1956, Leslie passed away just before Jimmy graduated from 8th grade.  In August of 1957 Leone bought a house in Springfield and moved with her four kids to town.  During weekends and the summertime, Jimmy stayed with Grandad and Grandma McEndree and worked for them all four years of high school.   Jimmy attended all four years of high school at Springfield and enjoyed playing football, basketball, and track.  He graduated from Springfield High School in 1961, and then attended one semester of college at Lamar College.   He lived with Grandad and Grandma McEndree for part of 1962.  Then April 10, 1962, he married Linda Montgomery, and they lived in a two-room house that was an old homestead of Jess and Winnie Lancaster while continuing to work for Grandad McEndree.  Malinda Ann was born Nov. 17, 1962, while they lived there.  In March of 1964, Jimmy and Linda bought them a small ranch which turned out to be an expensive hobby!  On October 18, 1965, Keith Leslie was born while they lived there.   In 1968 Jimmy and Linda bought a house in Pritchett and moved to town so Malinda could go to school at Pritchett.  Jimmy worked at COOP Station and elevator and did day work for about every farmer and rancher around Pritchett.  He still continued to help Grandad McEndree part-time.  In the fall of 1969, he took a bus job at Pritchett School and continued working for area farmers/ranchers during the day.  Their family was completed when Michael James was born on July 1, 1970.     Jimmy loved driving bus and Pritchett School sports which became his favorite hobby.  He drove bus to most sporting activities for many years and kept the scorebook for most games.  In 1976 Jimmy and Linda bought the Ward Brown homestead where they moved to finish raising their three kids.  They enjoyed going to all sports events and school events that the kids were involved in.  They were very proud of their three kids! In 1980 they got the first of six grandsons who they were more proud of than their own kids because if they were bad they could send them home.   In 1984 Jimmy quit driving bus and went to work at Gambles Store in Springfield.  He worked there until August of 1990 when he went back to driving bus for Pritchett School.  He missed the kids and going to high school sports which was his favorite times.  By now his grandsons were starting sports, and Jimmy and Linda went to all but just a very few of their games.  They loved and were very proud of their grandsons:  J.R., Chance, Tyler, Preston, Lane, and Trace.  In Nov. 2010, they got another grandson by marriage  Reese and finally a granddaughter Brandi.   In 2014 Jimmy had a heart operation and had to stop driving the bus. He rebounded from this surgery to continue working at the school as bus driver/maintenance until Jan. of 2016 when skin cancer on his ear required him to have surgery again.  After another round of radiation, his health continued to decline.  Throughout the last two years and many trips to specialists, Jimmy went to be with his Lord and Savior on Dec. 28, 2017, at the Pikes Peak Hospice Unit at Penrose Hospital.   Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents Leslie and Leone (McEndree) VanCampen-Jagger, and step-father Marvin Jagger; siblings  Dianne (VanCampen) Jesser, Annita (VanCampen) Albers, Clifford VanCampen, and brother-in-law Larry Albers.   Jimmy is survived by his wife Linda (Montgomery) VanCampen of the family home in Pritchett, Malinda (Philip) Dickson of Preston, KS, Keith (Becky) VanCampen of Pritchett, and Mike (Barbara) VanCampen of Holly.  Grandchildren J.R. (Lisa) Salzbrenner, Chance (Katie) VanCampen, Tyler (Kaylee) VanCampen, Preston (Ashlyn Hess) VanCampen, Lane Salzbrenner, Trace Salzbrenner, Reese (Ashley) Thompson, and Brandi (Kevin) Jantzen.  Great-grandchildren:  Conner and Taylor Salzbrenner, Halli Jo Thompson, Emma and Chelsea Thompson, Kanon VanCampen, and Aubrey Ann VanCampen.  Brother Dale (Melinda) Jagger, sister-in-law Brenda (Haney) VanCampen, brother-in-law Tim (Carolee) Jesser;  maternal Aunt Carol (McEndree) Greer and Uncle Clyde Greer along with a host of other family members and friends.   In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pritchett School in care of Frontier Bank, 808 Main St., Springfield, CO  81073 or sent to Maltbie Funeral Services, 265 W. 8th Ave., Springfield, CO   81073.