Agnes Richards

Pat Richards 89, a longtime resident of Nucla, passed away at her home on April 15, 2025. She was born on October 28,1935, in Grand Junction to Veda and Oren (Ike) Hubbard. During her young life, the family lived in several places including the cabin at the mouth of Blue Creek (the Ames place), the cabin in Salt Wash and a cabin upstream from Gateway. She often reminisced about living on dirt floors until the age of 5. The family then moved to Loma where she attended school at the Old Loma school house. Her mother and stepfather Bill Hall purchased property in La Sal Creek and moved while she was still in grade school. The trip from La Sal Creek to Paradox school was a slow and arduous journey, so she boarded out to attend school, first in Paradox, living with the Wagoners, then later in Nucla. There she stayed with Mrs. Van and worked for Clearance and Harriet Walisky at Waliskey’s Drug Store. Clarence would always walk out onto the sidewalk each evening to make sure she made it home safely.

Pat met Sam Jim Richards in high school and married on November 25, 1954, in Delta, Colorado. Sam and Pat built their home outside of Nucla, raising three children, Shawn, Breck and Dirk, living the ranch life, while Sam mined for uranium. Together they enjoyed horse racing and in 1962 built the Cedar Bowl and later added Three Coins Restaurant and Bar. Sam Jim died at the age of 45, on April 4, 1980, of lung cancer. This left Pat and the children to run the ranch and the business on their own. Pat enjoyed people and spent many years working at the Cedar Bowl with her close friend and family member Ernie Garber at her side until his untimely death in 1981. Pat would often comment how she could not have run the bowling alley without Ernie at her side.

Later, Pat met Don Nugent and were together until his death in 2022. Pat enjoyed working and bowling on leagues at the Cedar Bowl, hunting for arrow heads, yard sales, traveling and spending time with her family. She loved all her animals but had a special place in heart for her dogs, which provided much comfort. Pat felt a very close attachment to her sisters and spoke of them often, regretting not being able to spend more time with them.

Pat is survived by her three sisters: Sandy Silliman of Green River, Utah, Sue Baker of Dinosaur, Colorado and Becky McNeil of Loma, Colorado, three children Shawn Mock, Breck Richards and Dirk Richards of Nucla, five grandchildren, Tryllen Richards, Jason Mock, Sabin Mock, Sammie Richards and Blake Richards and 11 great grandchildren.

Pat was proceeded in death by her parents, Veda Hall and Ike Hubbard, husband Sam Jim Richards, sister Barbara Dalton and longtime companion Don Nugent.

Pat will be laid to rest on the family property on 25 Mesa next to her late husband Sam Jim Richards.