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James Weblemoe Obituary
April 1, 1918 - Feb. 2, 2011, entered life eternal after a brief but difficult battle with cancer. James was born in Northwood, Iowa, and from there moved to Fairbury, Neb. He was married to his beloved wife, Helen Johnson Weblemoe, for 66 years.
He is survived by his five children, David Weblemoe of Simi Valley, Linnea (husband Dean) Smith of Chapel Hill, N.C., Jill (husband Raymond) Olsen of Citrus Heights, Calif., Jane Weblemoe of Camarillo, and Anne (husband Sal) Lucido of Ojai. He is also survived by his six grandchilren, their spouses, and four great-grandchildren. James was named as a Living Treasure of Ojai in 2010.
He was an active volunteer and spent countless hours working at the West Campus of Help of Ojai. In 2008 he was honored to go to Washington, D.C. and receive the MetLife Foundation Older Volunteers Enrich America Award. He was an alumnus of Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, Neb. He completed his graduate work in physics at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He returned to teach physics and math at Midland for several years. His teaching was interrupted by a tour of duty in the Navy during World War II.
He then helped run the family sand and gravel company in Fairbury. A new chapter in his life began when he moved his family to California in 1958. He worked as a physicist in civil service at the Naval Ordinance Laboratory in Corona until he was transferred to Pt. Mugu in 1970 (and established his residence in Ojai). He retired at the age of 72 and stayed active and involved in many groups and local activities. He is a longtime member of the Optimist Club, retired Business Men's club, IEEE, and Holy Cross Lutheran Church.
The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made to Help of Ojai.
Services are still to be determined, but will be held at Holy Cross Lutheran Church.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for James Weblemoe
David Tersigni
February 16, 2011
Dave, and Family, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Loved working with your Dad back in the hay day Range Development Department. God Bless
James & Margaret
February 13, 2011
Receiving award at St. Joseph's Health & Retirement Center
February 13, 2011
Laurie Crabtree
February 7, 2011
Jim Weblemoe lives in you. He gave you wonderful memories and a legacy of love and caring for each other. I wish you peace.
Laurie Crabtree
February 7, 2011
Bob Grove
February 6, 2011
I worked on a crew of communication engineers at Pt Mugu, and Jim was our supervisor. We enjoyed working with him. He was very fair, thoughtful, kind, but strong person. I traveled to Hawaii with him where we worked together during the day and enjoyed a few variety shows at night with the crew. I will miss seeing him at the Ace Hardware store where we would compare our latest “fix-it” problems on our Ojai homes. Bob Grove
Nate Olsen
February 5, 2011
Grandpa’s Eulogy
Presented by Nathan James Olsen on February 4, 2011
Thank you for coming today to help us remember and celebrate the life of James Webelmoe. During his life he had many names and titles, "The Uncommon, Common Man", "Living Legend", son, brother, cousin, uncle… My cousins Kristen, Kelly and Alaina, as well as my two sisters, Heather and Sarah, and I called him “Grandpa,” Heather’s son Elliot and my two daughters Jessica and Nicole called him “Great-Grandpa” (AKA “Tickle Monster”), my Uncle Dave and three Aunts, Linnea, my mom Jill, Jane and Anne called him “Dad”. Many friends called him “Jim,” and Grandma usually called him “Web” (as well as a few other names I’m sure I can’t repeat in church).
He was a family man, a student and a teacher, he was a scientist, a political activist, a philanthropist and philosopher, a well recognized and honored volunteer in the community, a long-time member of this church and a good neighbor. He was… well loved.
My grandpa was a very humble and gentle soul. He never liked to be the center of attention. If he were with us today, he would want us to take the focus off him and put it on us. He would not want to focus on the sadness of his death, but instead look at all the wonderful gifts God has given us in our lives. He would want us to look at each other and appreciate what we have together and what we hope to make better.
I have many good memories and feelings towards Grandpa. I remember when I was a just a boy, driving to his ranch in that old beat up “Barney” purple colored GMC truck with the white camper shell on the back. We would count every turn on the windy road along the way and I’d usually be carsick by the time we got there. But it was well worth it because the ranch to me was the best playground on earth and it was a chance to get Grandpa all to myself. He would drive me around on his tractor, push me on the rope swing over the creek, chase me through the rows of orange trees and let me be his “helper” when trying to fix some of the equipment (my job was to hold the flashlight). It was a young boy’s paradise.
Grandpa taught us many things growing up. He was patriot and staunch believer in the free market, capitalism and conservative values. There was very little confusion as to what grandpa thought or as to which side of the political spectrum he leaned. He was very passionate about his beliefs and would tell you all about it if you dared opened that door. But whether if you agreed with him or not, you always knew that his heart was in the right place and only felt the way he did because he wanted the best for his country, family, friends and you.
Grandpa would give us long lectures on the laws of physics and the universe. He loved challenging his grandkids to use our critical thinking skills. I remember him explaining Newton’s Law and how “time is relative.” Of course, when I tried using the theory as an excuse for showing up late to class after recess one day the teacher didn’t quite buy it. In fact, she made sure I told grandpa that in her class, “time is absolute!”
There are many more stories I could share from swimming in his pool, building contraptions and tinkering in his garage, going with him to church, playing Super Mario Bros with him in the TV room, and more. But the real joy was watching him play with my daughters the same way he did with us as kids. Just this past October, a few months after his open heart surgery, we enjoyed watching Great-Grandpa chase the kids around Chuck-E-Cheese during Nicole’s 2nd birthday party. At 92, he could still play “whack-a-mole” with the best of ‘em! His great-grandchildren Jessie, Nicole, Elliott and future great-grandchildren are all better off today because of him. They will be the one’s to carry on his legacy.
One of the last but most significant lessons Grandpa taught us was how to love. The way he selflessly cared for my grandmother in the last few years of her life was indescribable. Helen was the love of his life and his reason for being. Her happiness and comfort took priority over everything.
My grandfather earned all the names and titles he was given in life and I consider myself very fortunate and honored to have been named after him. My middle name will be a constant reminder for me to live like Grandpa did and earn the right to be called Nathan JAMES Olsen every day. I only hope I can be the husband, son, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend that he was.
Grandpa, we will miss you. You were a wonderful role model in my life, and the lives of everyone that had the great fortune of meeting you. Please give our love to grandma and watch over us all until the day we meet again.
Hugh Crawford
February 5, 2011
As a collegue an friend, I can attest to the fact that Jim was truly one of the "goog guys" im every sense of the phrase. His loss is all our loss.
Steven Hood
February 4, 2011
I am so sorry to hear of Jim passing. I work on the Ranch in Fillmore for several years and found Jim to be a kind and humble man. My condolences to the family
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