James D. Emory

Jim Emory, "the Greatest Fisherman," at the young age of 81, went to the big fishing hole in the Heavens on July 2, 2018. Born in Franklin, N.C., and raised in Washington, Jim was a graduate of Marysville High School, class of 1955, in Marysville, Wash.
Jim made his way to Alaska in 1964, after the great earthquake, to help rebuild Seward. Being a master welder and a member of the Pile Drivers Union, Jim worked in many areas of Alaska. Cordova and the Yukon were two of the areas where he worked on the building of bridges. Jim spent over 20 years working in Prudhoe Bay as a maintenance welder for Parker Drilling and Doyon Drilling companies. Jim lived 18 - of his 53 years in Alaska - in Homer, where he served as the Captain of the "DragonFly" Fishing Charter, while on R & R from the North Slope.
Jim met the love of his life, Joan Melton, in July 1995, and they married in November 1998. Jim retired shortly after they wed, and he and Joan spent their time between homes in Soldotna, Alaska, (Poachers Cove), and Yuma, Ariz.
If you could do it outside, Jim was there: snowmachining through Caribou Hills and Willow, to ATV riding the dessert Gila Mountains in Arizona. He loved to hunt moose on the Yukon River, shrimp in Whitter and of course salmon fishing on the Kenai River.
Jim will always be remembered as a fantastic story teller by his friends, neighbors and particularly by his grandchildren.
Jim is survived by his wife, Joan Emory, of 23 years; brother, John Emory (Jan); son, Jimmy Emory (Kathy); daughter, Jodi Woods (Curtis, aka Lucky); stepchildren, Joey Caudle, Matthew Melton (Genevieve), Jeffery Melton (Lauren) and Julia Horton; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and many friends near and far.