William D. Piatt

William D. Piatt, 85, of Rocky Ford, Colorado, passed away July 20, 2023, at Fowler Health Care, Fowler, Colorado.

William was born December 9, 1937, in Lamar, Colorado to Fred & Edith (Cauthon) Piatt. He was the youngest of 5 children.

The Piatt family left the farm in Lamar & moved to Rocky Ford, Colorado, to begin a new venture of selling insurance. Willie (as he came to be known) graduated from Rocky Ford High School in 1955.

August 3, 1958, Willie married Marjorie (Walker) Piatt. They proudly had 2 daughters: Darla Kaye and Doris Kimm.

After graduation, Willie began working for his brother, Fred Piatt, Jr. on his farm and continued with farm work for Showalter Farms southwest of La Junta, Colorado. He also worked during campaign season at the Sugar Factory in Rocky Ford.

After leaving the Sugar Factory, Willie put in a few years at Rocky Ford Implement until a good buddy of his (Kenny Grimes) told him of an opening at the Power Company in Rocky Ford. It was there that he began as a Yard Man, then advanced to Truck Driver, Lineman, and finally Line Crew Foreman, of which he retired in 2003 with 35 years of service.

Retirement brought new adventures for Willie and Marjorie. They began to travel and visited many different places such as Branson, Missouri; Nashville, Tennessee; as well as trips to Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Willie didn’t have many hobbies, but he did enjoy tinkering in his garage, fixing almost anything. At times constructing special tools out of odds and ends, much as his own father used to do. During the summer, Willie would spend time in the mountains with his family, enjoying the fresh, cool mountain air.

Survivors include his wife, Marjorie Piatt of Rocky Ford; children, Darla (William) Miller of Cheraw, Doris (Jim) Goodrich of Rocky Ford; grandchildren, Elizabeth (Brandon) Copeland of Cheraw, Elissa (Trent) Hall of Higbee, Bradley (Michelle) Goodrich of La Junta, Brent (Krista) Goodrich of La Junta; great grandchildren, Chesney and Jade Copeland of Cheraw, McKenzie Queen and Hayden Hall of Higbee, Joshua and Kaiden Lara of La Junta, Breah and Landon Goodrich of La Junta; sister, Martha Evett of Rocky Ford; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Fred Piatt, Jr. and Vernon Piatt; sisters, Evelyn Haling, and Lois Enderud.

A celebration of life service will be Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. and graveside inurnment will be at 2:00 p.m. at the Valley View Cemetery in Rocky Ford.

Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.