After years of struggling with Alzheimer’s, Jim passed away on February 22, 2024, in Modesto, California.

Jim leaves behind his wife of 63 years, Marlene; three children, Derrick (Trisha), Jimme (Todd), and Brooke; two grandchildren, Morgan (Cooper), and Kelsey (Austin); and five great-grandchildren, Addison, Lainey, Paige, Sloan, and Sage.

After graduating from Oakdale High School, Jim joined the United States Marines. At the end of his service, Jim married Marlene and began their life in Oakdale, California. Jim and Marlene moved to Hickman shortly after purchasing Jimbo’s Drive-In in Waterford. After a few years, they sold the drive-in and bought Hickman Grocery which they ran for 25 years. Once they sold the store, they moved to their current home in Milton, California where they raised cattle.

Jim was a successful businessman, but he lived his best life outdoors. Horses were in his blood. Early on he was an avid team roper. Later he competed in cattle penning and took up horse training. Always active in the cattle ranching community, he and his friends helped one another with roundups and cattle moves. Jim also loved to hunt, and the horses played a prominent role when he packed in for his annual deer hunting trips in the Sierras.

The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader

The Riverbank (Calif.) News

March 6, 2024