Randolph "Randy" H. Colston

CORVALLIS – Randolph “Randy” H. Colston, 69, of Corvallis passed away June 22, 2016.  His life ended the way he loved to spend it, fixing fence and tending his cows on the ranch he ran with his wife, Rande.  Randy was born September 28, 1946 in Cornelia, GA to his father, James Hamilton Colston and his mother, Violet Garrison.  He was raised in Salmon, ID graduating from high school in 1966. 

            Randy was a ranching man from the start of his working life.  If he wasn’t irrigating, fixing fence, haying, loading hay or feeding his cattle, he was enjoying a Bud Light and making people laugh.  In his early twenties he moved back to Salmon, ID to work the family ranch up Worthington Creek and then he went to work at the Hot Springs Ranch. 

            From there, Randy went north to Icy Bay, Alaska where he worked in Haz-Mat for a logging company for 2 years.  During this time he met his beloved wife, Rande Craun and in 1999 he moved to Corvallis to make her his wife and start the ranch in which they worked together.  He then started working for the Tucker Crossing Ranch in 2000 and stayed there until his retirement in May of 2015.

            In addition to his love for ranching, Randy had a great love for the outdoors.  He was an avid hunter, quite partial to Mule Deer.  One of the highlights of his life was his good fortune to draw a trophy mule deer tag for the 270 area and shoot a trophy mule deer, which he had mounted and hangs today in his home.  Randy also enjoyed fishing, trail rides, camping and family BBQ’s.  His favorite entertainment was watching the Professional Bull Riding (PBR), often taking his wife to the local competitions.

            Randy was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Jewell Holland; and his brothers, Winston and Raymond Colston.  He is survived by his wife, Rande, of Corvallis; his brothers, Willard (J.W.) Colston and wife Rosemary of Portland, Maine and Bruce Colston of Kenai, Alaska; his mother-in-law, Joan Axtell of Corvallis; his faithful dogs, Zip and Ginger; and numerous other nieces, nephews and other relatives in all corners of the United States.

            Services will be held on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 11:00 am at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton.