David “Kim” Retherford

David “Kim” Retherford passed away July 28th at his home in Palmer. Kim was born to Ted and Maxcine Retherford in Cortez, Colorado, September 24, 1961, where he spent his first 7 years on a rural Colorado ranch, the youngest of 6 children. The youngest 3 kids moved with their parents to Alaska in 1969. From then on, he grew up in the Butte area of Palmer, graduating from Palmer High School in 1980, and spent most of his career as a heavy equipment operator. He married Elizabeth McKechnie in 1984, with whom he had two children, Ryan and Kelsey. Kim was impossible not to like and was generous to a fault. He was an excellent operator, as one long time Palmer employer used to say “that kid sure can run a dozer.” He could start with any ground and leave it smooth as icing on a cake. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for a friend and no adventure he wasn’t up for. He shared many of those adventures with his neighborhood band of “Butte boys” growing up. In addition to his children, Kim is survived by his siblings, Karen and Harold Saiz of Trinidad, Colorado; Gary Retherford of Aztec, New Mexico; Richard and Carol Retherford of Tucson, Arizona; Jan Nichols of Dove Creek, Colorado; Keenan and Debby Retherford of Palmer; “like a sister” cousin, Valerie McLain of Montrose, Colorado; as well as 5 grandchildren and many more cousins throughout Colorado. Those “Butte boys” and all his old friends are invited to spend an evening by the campfire, reminisce and celebrate his life at his brother’s home on August 6th at 6:30 p.m.