January 19, 1946 – April 20, 2019
James M. “Jim” Caraher passed away on Saturday April 20, 2019 following a brief illness with cancer. He was a loving, caring and humorous father, brother, and friend.
He graduated from Vashon High School in 1964 where he played football, then attended Gonzaga University and Gonzaga Law School, graduating with a law degree in 1971. He was a deputy prosecutor under Chris Bailey in the King County Prosecutor’s office before transferring to the Pierce County Prosecutor’s office in Tacoma. In 1975, he began his private law practice in Tacoma, retiring in 2015. He was a member of the Washington State Bar Association.
Jim was a talented handyman and was known to most of his friends as a Jaguar car restoration enthusiast. He won a 1st place national award with his restoration of a 1948 alloy body Jaguar XK 120. He enjoyed teaching restoration to his son, Matt, who in turn loved learning by his dad’s side.
Always involved with unique projects, Jim and his cousin Mike Malone of Seattle started the annual Quartermaster Harbor 4th of July Fireworks for the community of Vashon Island. Professional pyrotechnicians were hired, fireworks selected, and a barge hired to be brought to Inner Quartermaster Harbor for the staging. Finding the barge was Jim’s job, and every year he stressed until the barge finally appeared, rounding Jensen Point – too often “at the last minute”— but Jim never missed the deadline!
His love of travel took him to Mexico where he indulged his fascination with the Mayan culture, and extensive in-depth reading, opened the door to the jungles and civilizations of Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala.
Jim is survived by his son J. Matthew Caraher (wife Kristen), sisters Suzan Hartley and Judi Williams of Tacoma, Kathy Caraher of California, many nieces, nephews, and cousins, and by his former wife of 20 years Linda Caraher Clark. He is preceded in death by daughter Anne; brother Thomas Christian Caraher; his parents James Edward “Mike” and Patricia Malone Caraher; his grandparents Raphael James “Papa Jim” and Ada Mattson Malone; and nephew TC Rockwell of Colorado. The Mattsons were among Maury Island’s early homesteaders, where the family summer home still stands.
Jim will be remembered for his humor and incredible stories on just about any subject one could imagine. His inquisitive intellect and amazing recall of detail was legendary. Godspeed. We will miss you, “Jimbo.”
Friends and family will gather at the Malone Homestead on Vashon-Maury Island the afternoon of Saturday, May 18th for a celebration of Jim’s life.
