James Howard Shewfelt

1927 - 2018

June 25, 1927 - August 10, 2018 James Howard (Howie) Shewfelt passed away peacefully August 10, 2018 surrounded by his family and loved ones. Jim was born June 25, 1927 in Selby, SD to James A. and Mina E. (Crawford) Shewfelt. He attended 1st through 3rd grades in Selby, SD where he was happy to report that he rode a horse to school with his older sister. He attended 4th through 8th grades in Plummer, ID and graduated in 1947 from Couer d' Alene High School. He married Donna Bedard in Couer d' Alene, ID October 30, 1948. Jim spent most of his working life in the telephone business, working in offices in Pullman, WA, Wenatchee, WA, Moscow, ID and then the head office for General Telephone (GTE) in Spokane, WA. GTE purchased West Coast Telephone in 1965 and moved the head office to Everett, WA where Jim was an engineer in the planning division. He later worked for Contel Phone Company which was purchased by GTE and he retired with over 40 years as a telephone company employee. Jim had an extreme love for the outdoors. From the time he was a youth to his final years he enjoyed fishing in the lakes and streams of the Northwest and later salmon fishing in Puget Sound. Fall would find him hunting for game birds, deer and elk. He was very proud of the bull elk and moose he was able take down. These trips usually included the entire family. Hobbies included bowling, golfing, playing cards and following the Seattle sports teams. He loved to work with his hands and if he wasn't working on the golf course or water system at Camaloch, he was building a house or helping someone else with their project. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, James and Mina Shewfelt; sisters, Hazel, Marjorie and Verna Hunt; and wife of 51 years, Donna Shewfelt in 1999. He is survived by sisters, Blanche Walker and Dorothy Duff; sons, Gordon (Kristi), Gary (Cathy), Ken (Debbie); grandchildren, Lacy (Tim), Jillian (Kelly), Andrea, John, Robert, Rachel (Bill) and Kevin; great grandchildren, Cooper, Bodhi, Silas, Bergan, Ryland and Mckenna. He is also survived by his friend and companion, Darlene Waite and her children, Michael (Monica), Debby (Mike), Vikki (Roger), Kathy (Mike); seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Thank you to the staff and nurses at Providence Hospice for their services during Jim's final days and to Kathy Peebler for her personal home care services. In lieu of flowers, memorials made be made in memory of James H. Shewfelt to the Providence Hospice Foundation of Snohomish County, 2731 Wetmore Ave., Suite 500, Everett, WA 98201. A Celebration of Life gathering will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2018 at the Chalet Building, Camaloch Golf Course, 326 N. East Camano Drive, Camano Island, WA 98282 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.