Kent Campbell

James Kent "Horton" Campbell
James Kent Campbell, 53, who went by Kent but was more commonly known amongst friends and relatives as Horton, died in his home in La Veta, Colorado, Sunday, December 26, 2021.
Kent was born March 9, 1968 in Walsenburg, Colorado to James Kent Campbell and Gloria Jean Rodriguez. He attended school through the eighth grade at Gardner School and graduated high school at John Mall High School in 1986.
Horton was raised on the family ranch in Pass Creek by his grandparents John Esequiel "Zeke" and Virginia Mary Jane Rodriguez, where he learned values, integrity, work ethic, stockmanship, stewardship, and horsemanship. His love for horses and cattle drew him to a career as a cowboy. He started his career young, wild, and inexperienced. He taught himself how to rope and soaked up knowledge from skilled cowboys like a sponge. Born 100 years too late, he picked up tricks of the trade from old-timers determined to make him a hand.
Animal husbandry came naturally to him, and what he lacked in skill he made up for with passion and ambition. He was a life-long learner and was always searching for a way to become a better horseman. His horses were partners, not tools. Kent always said, "You can learn something from everyone."
Breeding horses was another of his loves. He worked hard to breed horses that were smart, athletic, and cowy. His horses had fire, and each one had a quirk. It made him smile to know that not just anyone could get along with his horses.
He worked on many ranches in Huerfano County and covered country horseback in every direction around Gardner including Sheep Mountain, Wolf Springs, The Bar H, and other smaller operations. Big, rough country was Horton's favorite. He hunted bounty cattle in his spare time.
Kent's hunger for new experiences led him to work on a ranch in Mosquero, New Mexico, where he learned how to rope slick-horn with 60 feet of rope. After that, he spent time taking care of wheat pasture cattle in Oklahoma and then rode pens in the feed yard in Syracuse, Kansas, and Lamar, Colorado.
Although not his true love, Horton also became a skilled equipment operator through time spent running equipment on ranches, running a dozer in a coal mine, and working in construction. He lived by the rules that anything worth doing is worth doing right.
Horton's absolute favorite thing was sharing his love of horses and cattle with Katie. He took her everywhere with him. Family life and work life were not two different things for Horton. The two never separated.
He also enjoyed hauling Katie and Jeanie to 4-H shows, rodeos, and parades. He would wake up at 5 in the morning to go down to the arroyo to practice queen runs because "A good queen run has to be full speed and you have to stay on the rail all the way around..Don't cut the corners!" He'd help them perfect their reining patterns in the middle of the pasture somewhere between ranch work.
He shared his love of motorcycles with Beau; they had fun cutting loose together and going to breakfast almost weekly.
Horton's greatest accomplishments, however, were his grandkids, Dalton and Tye.
He is survived by his children Katie Campbell (Benji Montez), Jeanie Andreatta, and Beau Andreatta. His siblings John "Louie" (Diana) Romero Campbell, Julia (Ben Chavez) Gonzales, Mario "Toner" (Kaletha) Gonzales, two grandchildren, four nieces and nephews and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends. He will be deeply missed and forever loved.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Gardner School Foundation, PO Box 181, Gardner, CO 81040. Correspondence with the family can be sent to PO Box 291, Gardner, Colorado 81040.
Viewing will be held at Boies-Ortega Funeral Home in Walsenburg on Monday, January 3 from 4-6 p.m. Services will be held Tuesday, January 4 at 10:00 a.m. at the La Veta 4-H barn. Internment at Chama Cemetery at 12 noon and a celebration of life will follow at the Gardner Community Center.