James W. Neal, a 60 year resident of Vashon Island, died May 1, 2011. He was born in Seattle, June 5, 1922 to Inga (Stenmoe) & Norman H. Neal. He had one brother, Norman, six years older. His mother’s family immigrated from Nord-Trondelag, Norway in 1865. His early years were spent in Snoqualmie Falls where he delivered the Seattle Star to help support his family. At age 12, he moved to Ballard, attended West Woodland Grade School and in 1941, graduated from Ballard High School, where he played basketball and was on the golf squad.
Jim met the love of his life, Dorothy Blanchard, the summer of 1941. They met at a dance and, according to Dot, he was the best dancer in Seattle. They became best friends & dancing partners.
In August 1942, Jim joined the Navy and served on the aircraft carrier, USS Saratoga in the Pacific during World War II. His job was to load & unload the Hellcat planes with ammunition. It was on this vessel that Jim became Catholic and was baptized in the Marshall Islands.
July 1, 1944, Jim and Dorothy were married at Our Lady of Lourdes in Seattle. He was assigned shore duty and they moved to Norfolk,Virginia to finish out his service. The war ended and they returned to Seattle.
Jim’s life long profession was sheet metal work. He was a master sheet metal craftsman. After the Navy, he worked at Bremerton in the shipyards and then in Seattle, for Queen City Sheet Metal & Roofing. He attended night classes and became a journeyman. It was while repairing a furnace that he met a Vashon realtor, who after seeing his craftsmanship, asked him to go to Vashon Island and look at a Sheet Metal shop. Rudy Didricksen wanted to sell his business and return to Norway, so Jim bought “Vashon Sheet Metal Works” in 1950 and moved his family to Vashon Island in May, 1951. By then, there were three children, Kathy, Joe, & Diane. On Vashon, the family grew to three more children, Teresa, Jimmy & Shelley. Jimmy died at 9 months old.
Jim joined Kiwanis Club to meet other business men and did many service projects. He hired many island high school students over the years to work in his shop, training & mentoring them, instilling strong work ethics & teaching them the value of quality craftsmanship.
Music was an important part of Jim’s life. He was a gifted musician. Many nights were spent around a campfire, with harmonica in hand and Jim singing old-time songs. His love of jazz influenced his grandchildren to want to play music, and Jim continued to play his harmonica until the end.
He was an active member of St. Patrick’s and St. John Vianney Catholic Church. He sang in the choir, was a founding member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society on Vashon, helping many islanders in need of food, clothing and household repairs. He was head chef of the church’s annual Salmon Bake for forty years. This was a huge community event where he used his special recipe & TLC on the salmon for as many as 700 people. For his community involvement, Jim & Dot were chosen to be Grand Marshals in the 2005 Strawberry Festival.
Jim was an avid fisherman who along with his son Joe was known to travel 20 miles off the Washington coast in search of salmon. Some of his favorite fishing holes were La Push, Neah Bay, Seiku, & Illwaco. The family has continued the fishing tradition at La Push for over 50 years.
Jim and Dorothy loved to golf and were members of the Vashon Island Golf & CC since it’s inception. They also loved to dance, especially, Scandinavian dancing, and were members of the Vasa Hope Lodge. They continued their dancing at the Tacoma Elks Club and Jim danced one last time with Dot at Island Elder Care to the music of Tim Jovanovich & his accordion.
Jim loved God, his wife, family, and all 18 grandchildren & 17 great grandchildren dearly. He also had many nieces and nephews whom he loved & nurtured. He was a good friend to all. A life well lived!
Jim’s family is especially grateful for the loving care provided by his caregivers at his home: granddaughter Karrie, Catherine, Brigitte, Julie, Jan & Zack. And to Beneficial Adult Family home & Island Elder Care, his homes away from home. Providence Hospice of Seattle provided loving end of life care. Thank you to all for your unending support.
There was a funeral Mass for Jim on May 9th at St. John Vianney Catholic Church and he was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Seattle with Military Honors.
Donations in his memory can be sent to the St. Vincent de Paul Society c/o St. John Vianney,
P.O. Box 308, Vashon 98070 or to Providence Hospice of Seattle, 425 Pontius Ave N, Seattle 98109
Paid Obituary.
