James Byron Walton
“Jim”
February 7, 1951 - June 25, 2024
James Byron Walton was born on Feb 7th, 1951, and passed away at the age of 73 in Longmont, Colorado on June 25, 2024, from COPD.
Jim was born in Gary, Indiana, and lived in several cities throughout his childhood. He graduated a year early from Maumee Valley Country Day School in Toledo, Ohio. Jim then moved to Boulder, CO to attend the University of Colorado, where he earned a degree in history. Jim (known as “Waldo” then) was a regional manager for Arby’s until 1983 when he opened Taco John’s in the Crossroads Mall in Boulder, adding to it a few years later with Abo’s Pizza (Crossroads), and then opening another Abo’s Pizza in Table Mesa. Jim attended St Aidan’s Episcopal Church in Boulder for several years. His trivia team “The Renegade Poodles from Hell” were a mainstay at CU’s annual Trivia Bowl. His poker nights were legendary. He was a voracious reader, whose favorite topics were strange history, politics, and anything pertaining to JFK. After the restaurants, Jim worked as a finance manager for Boulder Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth, Pollard Jeep, and retired from McCaddon Cadillac.
Jim had a troubled childhood and because of that, he valued stability. He vowed to break the cycle of abuse and lies from his youth, and was a pillar of strength in an emergency. Family was the most important thing to him, and his daughters and grandsons were never in doubt about his love for them.
Jim is survived by his daughters Amanda Walton-Lopez (Christian) (Estes Park, CO) and Anna Robinson (Jeremy) (Broomfield, CO); his grandsons Ethan and Taylor Carnes; his great-granddaughter Eleia Rose-Marie; his brother Bob Walton (Gail); his sister Martha Dillenberg (Tom); his brother-in-law Kevin Condon; and 7 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Robert E Walton, Sr., his mother Edna Colson Walton, his beloved sister Nancy Walton Condon, and his best good dog Oscar Meyer Weiner Walton.
Special thanks to Jim’s loving sister Martha for her support and care through the years, and to his cousin Susie Walton Duchmann for her help and support in Jim’s final months.
In lieu of donations please take a moment to hug your loved ones, call someone you haven’t talked to recently, make a sandwich for a homeless person, or perform another act of kindness. Jim’s legacy is his selfless giving to those who needed help, even when he couldn’t afford it himself. He was a kind soul, and he will be missed greatly.
Jim requested that there be no service.