Tex Jasperson, 86, of Green River, Wyo., passed away Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, at the Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. A resident of Green River for the past 64 years and former resident of Thayne, Wyo., Jasperson died following a lengthy illness.
He was born Jan. 22, 1931, in Thayne, Wyo., the son of Clinton W. and LaVon Cook Jasperson.
Horse racing scouts saw Tex riding on an Idaho race track, then a 15 year old boy was put on a train bound for the New York circuit to be groomed as a jockey. In 1947 he was going to ride in the Kentucky Derby but his horse pulled up lame and was scratched. Tex rode with Eddie Arcaro, Johnny Longdon, and other famous jockeys from 1946 until 1949. He also rode in Florida and California. When he returned home he started high school in Star Valley.
He met Jeri at a dance and on Sept. 29, 1952, they were married in Ogden, Utah, and their marriage was later solemnized at the Salt Lake Temple in 1961. They moved to Green River in 1953 where Tex worked for Railway Express Agency until the spring of 1957, when he started working for Western Wyoming Utilities later Pacific Power and Light.
In the meantime, Jeri started selling fireworks in 1953, this evolved into Tex's Travel Camp with 130 spaces for traveling tourists. The camp and home were sold in 2004 and they moved next to the Green River.
He and Jeri are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were ordinance workers in the Vernal Utah Temple for seven and one half years.
Tex and Jeri have traveled the world and had wonderful experiences.
He loved building anything, using his glue gun on everything and working puzzles. He loved to dance. He also did masonry rock work to beautify their home and planted many trees. The family fondly called him "the Bionic Man with Ever Ready Batteries" because he had a fused back, hips replaced five times, and shoulder was never the same after he and a ladder parted ways 10 feet up in October of 2013.
He loved to teach his grandchildren to ski, liked anything outdoors including four wheeling and snowmobiling. He and his family built a beautiful cabin in the Commissary Ridge. He was on the original Planning and Zoning Board for Sweetwater County and served as chairman for 10 years. Jeri said it was because he was tough enough to take all the flack. He was a Green River firefighter for many years. He helped his sons Kole and Kreg do their Eagle Scout projects by establishing street signs in Jamestown, as well as mapping the fire districts for he was a good steward who loved to do everything that improved his surroundings. There was one tree in Jamestown when he and Jeri moved their mine house from East Plains which is above Superior, and he has started more than 100 trees. They were real pioneers for their age at 21 and 17. He had a real work ethic and taught his sons how to work and enjoyed doing things with them whether it was with a shovel or playing.
Survivors include his wife Jeraldine "Jeri" Draney Jasperson of Green River; two sons Kael L. Jasperson (Yvonne "Suz" ) of Green River, Kim B. Jasperson (Nancy) of Mapleton, Utah; one daughter Koral J. Jasperson-Salinas (Luis M.) of Green River; one brother Bryce Jasperson of Pocatello, Idaho; three sisters LaRue Jasperson Rich of Pingree, Idaho, Myrna Jasperson Graham of Green River, and Colleen Jasperson Viegel of Osmond, Wyo .; his daughters-in-law Rene Jasperson Barnett (J.D.) and Jeanna Jasperson; 14 grandchildren Shawn Dittman(Paul), Jenni Knezovich, Jon Jasperson (Stephanie), Tyrell Jasperson, Jeremy Jasperson (Lindsay), Thayne Jasperson, Ashlee Fullmer (Rulon), Koy Jasperson (Samantha). Ashton Jasperson, Natalie Binder, Melissa Ellerbeck (Lafe), Kaylee Jasperson, Jerika Brown (Bobby) and Mekel Salinas; 17 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons Kole C. Jasperson and Kreg T. Jasperson; one brother Jerry "Jake" Jasperson; one great-grand-daughter.
Funeral Services for Tex will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, at the L.D.S 1st and 3rd Wards, 1000 West 4th North, Green River, Wy. A viewing will take place from 9 a.m. until the time of services. Interment will be in the Riverview Cemetery.
On behalf of the families we serve, Vase Funeral Chapels would like to thank you for your understanding.
The family of Tex Jasperson respectfully suggests that donations in his memory be made to Primary Children's Hospital, 100 North Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84113
Condolences may be left at http://www.vasefuneralhomes.com
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