James Dale "Jim" Hassig

Jim was born in Denver on October 26, 1957. He is survived by his wife, Terry, daughter Dani, grandson Corbin, son-in-law Sean, brothers Terry, Troy, and Curt, and sister Lorraine, and their families.

Jim and his family grew up in Gunnison, enjoying outdoor activities – year round.

On the way to one of his first high school football games in Salida on 9/11/71, the team school bus lost the brakes heading down from Monarch Pass and skidded over the side of a ravine. Several players died that day, and the rest were rushed to hospitals. Jim convalesced in a Denver hospital for over a month before returning to Gunnison.

Jim learned to ski at Crested Butte. He still had the first ski pass he got for the 70-71 season. He enjoyed skiing all of his life and went as often as he could.

Jim joined the Army after high school and was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. He trained as a medic in the psychiatric ward. While stationed there, he took the opportunity to explore Europe and traveled extensively whenever he got some time off. This whet his appetite for traveling, which he enjoyed throughout his life.

Jim returned to Salida after the Army and ran a Trailways Bus station, then opened a restaurant to feed the bus passengers. He became an excellent short-order cook and enjoyed making breakfasts the rest of his life.

Moving back to Denver, he received a degree in Journalism and after working several jobs, ended up as an Editor for a health magazine with McGraw Hill. 

As magazines became more and more digital, Jim saw the writing on the wall and decided to pursue a different career path. 

Jim married Terry, the love of his life, in April 2007. He and Terry gathered up all of their money and resources, rolled the dice, took deep breaths, and opened up an Ace Hardware store in April 2010. With no formal retail training, but much luck and a great team, the store thrived and gained the trust and loyalty of the community. 

Jim sold the store two months before his death. His legacy lives on with the employees and customers.

Jim was a renaissance man. He lived larger than life.

Things that made him happy:

Spending time with family, 

riding his ATV and dirt bike in the mountains and getting above tree line, 

scuba diving 130 feet down and exploring the ocean with Terry,

“shredding the pow” at Monarch and Copper Mountain,

Reading voraciously,

Kicking back in his lazyboy recliner,

Planning trips and traveling with Terry to fun spots all around Colorado, and around the world,

Spending time at BV Casa Bonita, the home he and Terry built in Buena Vista. Enjoying the view of Mount Princeton and the Collegiate Peaks through their living room window.

Helping customers at Ace, and spending time with all of his Ace family at work.

Celebration of Life will be held Friday, September 20, 2024, 2pm, Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood. 

In lieu of flowers, blood donations to Vitalant in Jim’s honor would be very much appreciated by his daughter, Dani, friends and family. If you aren’t able to donate, please encourage someone you know!

The service will be live streamed. Please use this link to join the service:

https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=a480a367-5b28-42b4-8b17-9b39a40e352a