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James Westmoreland Obituary
Feb 13, 1957 ~ Nov 7, 2020
Fruit Heights, UT-JR passed away surrounded by loved ones on Saturday November 7, 2020 from bladder cancer. He was the oldest child of James Ray (Ray) Westmoreland and Martha Adell Hatch Westmoreland Woodard. JR grew up in Ogden, UT where he attended Utah School for the Blind. He was part of a pilot program for blind students returning to public school. He attended Highland Junior High and Ben Lomond High School graduating in 1976. He attended Weber State College on an academic scholarship and graduated from Weber State University in 2014 with a BS in Computer Science/Software Engineering; a field he worked in for many years. Although totally blind, JR was a gifted programmer and always involved with cutting edge technology which he loved to share with others. JR was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He volunteered with LDS Tech and worked with Gospel Library, Member Tools, and Sacred Music to assist with accessibility for those who are visually impaired. He volunteered for many years in emergency communications as an amateur radio operator with an Extra Class license, W7JR.
He is preceded in death by his parents and stepfather Sherman A. Woodard. He is survived by his spouse of 42 years, Melodee Ann Hawkins Westmoreland, children Lisa Anne Covacci and Elena Kaye Westmoreland and grandchildren Annalena Joy, Hyrum James, Daniel Ray, and Adrian Claudio and siblings Bobby and Julie Westmoreland, Cindy and Kevin Cannon, Judy and Dan Lewis, Sherry Yochum, Nina Wakkuri, Dean and Sue Woodard, Steven and Tamra Woodard, Janie and Greg McGovern, Bret and Shannon Woodard, Gary and Judi Chournos, and Cheri and Sharon.
Funeral services will be held (following COVID-19 health guidelines) on Saturday, November 14th at 11-12 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at 901 South Mountain Road, Fruit Heights. Condolence visiting at 10 am. Interment following services at Ogden City Cemetery. For more information and online condolences please visit https://www.independentfuneralservices.com/ A GoFundMe account has been set up under JR Westmoreland. For virtual funeral please visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Z4zICGwltnagzVoHrjwIA
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Memories and Condolences
for James Westmoreland
5 Entries
Dawn Soger
January 23, 2021
Oh! My deepest condolences! JR and I go way back and I have many fond memories of JR. We have been blessed to reconnect! I had spoken to him a bit prior to his passing & we were looking forward to going to dinner with our group again.
JR had quite a sense of humor, and always managed to make me laugh.
My heart aches for you, his family.
We need to continue to keep in touch and build those friendships.
I know that would please him so much!
JR, you got ahead of me on this road trip. Be sure to be there when it’s my time to make the journey, for surely we will meet again my good friend.
Reid Swenson
November 14, 2020
I didn't know James personally but I was so inspired by reading (in his newspaper obituary) of his amazing accomplishments despite the fact that he was blind. I decided to read his obituary from the Deseret News to my wife and son since my son also has a Computer Science degree (from the University of Utah in 2012). After reading the obituary to my wife and son my son said that he had apparently consulted with JR while my son was working on the LDS Music App while doing his software development service mission around 2014. He remembered how JR had apparently been the one who had encouraged my son to help make the LDS music app more accessible for the blind by making some suggestions to my son for how to accomplish that. My son still remembers some of the issues that needed to be dealt with to accomplish that! I, myself, still operate my computer business that I started way back in 1983 (some 37 years ago). When I hear of things like this it makes me so amazed to see how the technology has evolved to allow such miraculous capabilities! When I read how JR had developed talking word processing software I was just overwhelmed with amazement about his incredible life. What a miraculous person! Best wishes for comfort and peace. Reid Swenson, Salt Lake City
Lee Hollaar
November 13, 2020
Melodee: I saw JR's obituary in the paper, and it brought back memories when he and you were taking my operating system class even after about four decades. You have my condolences and best wishes for you and your family in the future.
Lee
Jill Everett
November 12, 2020
I’m so sorry for your loss Melodee. My prayers are for comfort for your family.
Michelle C Kruger
November 12, 2020
Melodee, I am so very sorry to learn about JR's passing. My thoughts are with you and the girls. May peace be with all of you.
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