Obituary

James Marion Calhoon, Jim, passed away while sleeping in his home in Birch Bay Village on August 30th. He was 84 years old. His story telling, witty humor, helpful hands, and observations will be missed.  His children and his children’s children will carry on the lessons learned about being a good citizen and how to use your tools, and they will pass those lessons on to their children.

Jim was born in Bellingham, Washington to Milda (Holmes) and Marion Calhoon on December 31st, 1939. Most of his birthdays were celebrated with a party and some fireworks.

Jim started school in Custer and then transferred to the Blaine School District in 3rd grade when his brother Stanley started school. His sister Lorraine joined the family in 1950 and they lived, played and did many chores on the farm on Bay Road. He told several stories about the antics he and his brother Stan got into in the hay loft and in the Custer area.  They attended church at Zion Lutheran Church where there still hangs a picture of his confirmation group. Jim graduated from Blaine High School in 1958 where he held an ASB office, played in the band and ran track. He has enjoyed many long term friendships with his former classmates, an active group that has continued to have many annual reunions.

While attending Lutheran Bible Institute, a visiting Carolyn Marie Beach caught his eye. She enrolled in LBI, they began attending classes together and soon after they were married in the Lutheran Church on August 8th, 1959.

Jim and Carolyn welcomed their daughters, Connie in 1960, and Christine in 1963. During those young family years, Jim attended Western Washington University and sang in the choir, he briefly attended University of Washington while working in the grocery business where he mopped, stocked shelves, cashiered and painted the window signs. He often used these painting skills with the family while decorating the big living room windows with Christmas themes.

He continued his grocery career when he became employed by the Campbell Soup Company.  As a successful salesman, he proudly represented the company in his King and Pierce County sales territories, where he built many relationships, and creative soup displays.  Jim would sometimes bring his daughters to work with him, where they learned about “facing” shelves and pricing. He eventually took his sales skills to Western Safety Products where he became an expert on safety gear that he sold to many of our biggest manufacturing corporations near King County.

He was an advocate for his community and he and his wife were very active in the Lakeland Community Club. There he and his neighbors held many potluck dinners, and dance parties. Often those gatherings led to after hours parties at the Calhoon’s for those late night breakfasts.

With his Brother Stan’s encouragement, Jim worked for a short while as a manager of the South Hill Mobile station in Puyallup. Jim built a team that he liked working with. He used his customer service and retail skills there but found his interests geared more to real estate.

With his Real Estate License, he was able to assist other agents, their customers and himself in home reselling as he found great enjoyment from using his natural woodworking, home repair and remodeling skills. This was another area where he could be creative and artistic.

When it came time to retire, he and his wife moved to Birch Bay in 2004 where they had enjoyed the family cabin on Lora Lane since 1960. His wife Carolyn continued gardening, and Jim used his carpentry tools making cat condos and bird houses for the Wings over Water events, while also turning the Cabin Compound into a fun family get away. He also was quick to lend his tools and help his neighbors with home repairs. He also loved socializing with them, chatting around the campfire and sharing in the neighborhood crab boils.

In 2016 they moved to Birch Bay Village. Sadly, Carolyn did not get to enjoy the new home long, as she passed away in May of 2017. Jim made some new friends in the village and enjoyed attending the coffee group that meets at the club house next door to his home. He loved discussing everything from finance to politics.

He was able to be a part of his four grandchildren’s lives and welcomed four great grandchildren. Always the teacher, he didn’t care the age or gender, they all could learn how to use a tool or dig a clam.

Jim was succeeded in death by his Mother Milda and father Bet, his brother Stanley, sister Lorraine, and his wife Carolyn. He is survived by his daughters Connie Beach and Christine (Michael) Anderson, grandchildren, Joseph (Kelley) Taylor, Samantha (Kyle) Martin, Jacquelyn Anderson and Jillian Anderson, great grandchildren, Ramona, Jakob, McCoy, Eleanor and step grandchildren Jimmy Taylor and Adam Taylor.

Jim’s family is thankful for the care received at Saint Joe’s hospital, his Visiting Angels caregivers and the Hospice at home care team.

His family invites all that knew him to join in his Celebration of Life on September 26 at Birch Bay Community Center at 1 PM.  Food, mementos, laughter and stories will be shared in his memory.