James H. “Jim” Langdon of Hermiston died on March 31, 2023 in Hermiston at the age of 91.
He was born on April 4, 1931 to Mary and his namesake, James “Jim” Langdon and was raised on a farm near the hamlet of Rosebud, Alberta, Canada.
Jim’s early years were spent on the prairies alongside his three older siblings, Dorothy, Kenneth and Joyce, and his two younger brothers, Neil and Dale. Jim later majored in agricultural mechanics at the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art in the nearby city of Calgary. In his early 20s Jim married his first wife, Betty, in 1952 and together they started their family. With two young daughters in tow, Jim and Betty emigrated to the U.S. in 1957. The family lived in Quincy and Moses Lake, Wash. until they settled in the Tri-Cities area in the early ‘60s. During these years Jim worked hard and played hard, with alcohol wreaking havoc in his life. Jim was a man’s man, a lady’s man, a horse man, and a car man. The twinkle in his eye and his mischievous grin always led to a good time, until it didn’t. He joined the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) community in 1965 and never looked back. At the time of his death, Jim had celebrated 58 years of sobriety.
Jim owned and/or operated several small business and construction jobs during the early years and even worked on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in the late ‘60s. Upon arriving home from Alaska, Jim drove to Hermiston to buy a hubcap from the local wrecking yard and ended up buying the business. Now the proud parents of four daughters, Linda, Judith, Salli and Melissa, Jim and Betty relocated their family of six to Hermiston. Betty and Jim owned and successfully operated Bert’s Auto Salvage and Towing for 15 years before turning it over to their eldest daughter, Linda and son-in-law, Mike. They continued to manage it as a family operation until the business was sold in 2021.
Although retired, Jim and Betty lived on the property so were never far from the action or the lure of projects on the go. Jim was an extremely gifted and talented “Jimmy Fixer,” with many varied interests. If a tool was needed for something, Jim would design and manufacture it. This included a railroad tie puller and large mower used along the sides of highways. If you could think of it, he could build it! Jim, together with his son-in-law Mike, built a 55-foot houseboat with a master bedroom on the roof, two bathrooms and a water slide for the kids. Family and friends were entertained on the Columbia River for many years.
When the girls were young, semi-annual treks to Canada for visits and reunions with family and dear friends was the norm. In later years, Jim traveled back to his roots on the prairies during the late summer/fall season to help his good friend Eric Skibsted harvest wheat. The country boy in Jim even raised and rode horses for a few years. This included Jim’s caravanning to the bottom of the Grand Canyon with friends and also riding his favorite horse in the 150th anniversary celebration of the Oregon Trail wagon train. Another memorable trip, recognizing his heritage, was when Jim took his father to England for his 90th birthday in search of long-lost family.
Jim was always ahead of his time and enjoyed the rare and unusual. He owned one of the first electric cars in the U.S. in the early ‘70s, before electric cars were ever “a thing.” Then there was the amphibious car . . .
Jim spent several years as a snowbird, traveling to Arizona, California and Mexico in winter. Jim joined the Three Rivers Model T Club and the Blue Mountain Model A’s, which led to fun tours together with fellow club members. This resulted in a large accumulation of Model T’s and Model A’s, many of which the family still has. After selling one of his Model T’s to a gentleman from Australia, Jim followed the car over and spent a month exploring the Outback. Jim’s passion for vehicles was limitless and led to many excursions throughout the U.S. to search out his favorites – and the parts required to restore and rebuild them. Studebakers and Ramblers, with his greatest love being all things Volkswagen – cars, trucks and vans.
Jim’s interests and hobbies were wide and varied. He was also known to enjoy hunting, fishing, four-wheelin’ in the mountains, and his three-wheel motorcycle. Jim even built an ultra-light glider plane, yet never had the chance to fly it. He sold the plane after having a dream of it crashing. The new owner did crash it, so we are grateful that he was not the pilot when it went down. Jim, however, spent many years building and flying model airplanes with his feet on the ground. He even had a room in the basement dedicated to their construction and repair.
Jim was preceded in death by his first wife, Betty in 2001. Following her death, Jim married Phyllis French in 2002. Two years ago, Jim and Phyllis downsized to a new home in Hermiston and moved from the family home next to Bert’s Auto Salvage and Towing. Unfortunately, Jim’s health had already begun to deteriorate and dementia had taken hold. Jim was recently moved to Guardian Angels Memory Care facility and resided there until his death.
Jim is survived by his wife, Phyllis; daughters, Linda Monroe, Judith Langdon, Salli (Quentin) Ketchersid and Melissa (Bill) Dillon; step-daughters, Tonya Heideman and Leta (Don) Keller; grandchildren, Dawn Long, Dustin Ketchersid, Jamison Dillon and Kyle Ketchersid; great grandchildren, Darren Gibson, Keshi Norman, Samantha Long and Lucy Nelson; and several great-great grandchildren.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Mary Langdon; siblings, Dorothy Box, Kenneth Sparks, Joyce Buzzard, Neil Langdon and Dale Langdon; son-in-law, Mike Monroe; grandsons, Gene Long and Jason Monroe; and granddaughter, Amber Ketchersid.
Jim and Phyllis were long-time members of the Cowboy Church. Jim’s family is hosting a graveside service at the Hermiston Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Saturday,
April 15, followed by a celebration of life at the Cowboy Church on North Highway 395, Hermiston.
Please share memories of Jim with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
