Sammy Lee Middaugh

Sammy Lee Middaugh, 87, of Rocky Ford, passed away on September 17, 2021 at the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center in La Junta. He was born on November 1, 1933 in Clinton, Missouri to Corby Spencer & Virginia (Carter) Middaugh.

He attended Clinton High School in Clinton, MO and then trained in the US Army Service School as a specialist in Track Vehicle Mechanics at Camp Irwin, CA during his service in the military. He also studied piano, music theory and piano mechanics.

After his discharge from the US Army in 1957, Sam started his career as a tool and die maker at Best Tool and Die, Inc., in Kansas City, Missouri. He relocated to Denver, Colorado in the early 80’s and continued to work in the tool and die profession until he retired in 2003, and moved to Rocky Ford, CO.

Sam was witty, smart, had a great sense of humor, and made friends easily. At his Rocky Ford home, he took pride in his life-sized lawn ornament, a 300 pound concrete Hampshire pig that stood in his yard and appeared to survey the neighborhood. The pig soon became a landmark that Sam and the neighbors referred to when giving directions to newcomers to the area.

In his youth, Sam was a talented athlete, and excelled at baseball as a catcher in high school and beyond. He was a fan of both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals, and of his home state football team, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Sam was an exceptional musician, and could play any tune by ear on the piano or guitar. He collected and worked on pianos as a hobby, and had a piano in almost every room of his house. He was a popular entertainer and would often play and sing for friends and family at his home or at social gatherings.

He was also a very creative woodworker, and spent many hours building unique and practical items in his workshop. He was proud of the gadgets he “invented” and his house was full of them.

Above all, he treasured his beloved dog Reba, who he welcomed into his heart and home upon his retirement in Rocky Ford. A rescue from a local shelter, Reba was his closest companion and the joy of his life. They were inseparable, and had daily adventures all over Rocky Ford, La Junta, Timpas, Vogel Canyon and surrounding areas until Reba’s death in 2019.

Sam leaves behind a daughter, Sheila (Thomas) Byrne of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, as well as his two dogs, Bristol and Duchess, and many other dear friends he made during his life in Otero County and in the Kansas City area. He also leaves behind his dedicated caregivers, Rita Medina, Ariana Salas, and John Romero, who became like family to him as their care enabled him to stay in his beloved home in Rocky Ford, almost to the very end of his life. He was preceded in death by his parents, son, Gregg Middaugh; brother, Martin Woodrow “Bud” Middaugh and sister, Icea Belle “Sis” Smith.

A graveside service will be Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at the Ft. Lyon National Cemetery in Ft. Lyon, CO. Military honors by the Rocky Ford Rifle Team, American Legion Post #8.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.