Mr. Jim Maple was born June 27, 1954 in Oakland, California, the son of Robert Maple and Barbara Joann Maness Maple. He was a graduate of South High School in Wichita, Ks. where he was very competitive in wrestling and his team was state runner up in football. Jim and his brother spent many summers in Riudoso, NM. training race horses. That passion carried on and became his profession from 1972 - 2004. He was very successful in both quarter horse and thoroughbred racing, mainly in Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and California. He spoke often of his favorite quarter horse: Bunny McKay and thouroughbreds: Best Pal and General Challenge. He retired from horse racing in 2004. Since 2005 he was a forklift driver for Weyerhaeuser Comapny in Ft. Smith, Ar. Jim passed this life on April 19, 2008 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas after having attained the age of 53 years, 9 months and 22 days.
Survivors are:
Wife: Mary 2 daughters: Cori Spring and Chelsi Lane, both of California 2 grandchildren: Ciana and Cekai father: Robert Maple of Sallisaw, Ok. 1 brother: Gary Maple of Porter, Tx. many nieces, nephews and friends
He was preceded in death by his mother |