James A. Dilts

1951 - 2023

James A. "Jimmy" Dilts died unexpectedly following a brief illness on Jan. 14, 2023, at Corewell Health Lakeland in St. Joseph.

He was born on March 11, 1951, at Memorial Hospital in St. Joseph, the son of James A. Dilts Sr. and Betty S. (Mason) Dilts.

Jimmy attended high school in Niles and Galien after elementary school at Sorter in Benton Harbor. He attended college at Santa Fe Community College Guy Andrews Center in Starke, Fla. He graduated from Bradford County Truck Drivers Vocational School also in Starke, and drove truck for 35 years over a million miles without an accident. He most recently drove with Transway out of Holland, Mich., until his retirement.

In his early years, he worked as a construction laborer, fuel driver, and most fondly at Rex Auto Parts formerly of Benton Harbor, Mich. He even learned shoe repair from his wife's (of 50 years) father, formerly of Brown's Shoe Repair of Benton Harbor, which he practiced this skill after opening a Western Boot and Shoe Store in Starke, until he returned to Michigan.

Jimmy liked everyone he met. He called everyone his friend. He mostly enjoyed fishing for coho salmon on Lake Michigan in his small boat and with friends. In his early years, you could find him on one of the piers in St. Joseph, fishing for perch, coho, or whatever was biting that day even in a storm. He mostly loved listening to the radio and music of the 1950s and 1960s and his friends band, White Summer, whenever they were playing. He was always singing a tune. There wasn't a song he didn't know or who or when it was made.

He was a hardcore Detroit Lions fan, really liked NASCAR, and enjoyed old western movies. Most people were surprised at how nice his voice really was and told him so. He was a loving husband and father. He was a good man, always ready to help when he could, and will be deeply missed.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a brother, Terry.

Surviving in addition to his wife, Betty A. Dilts, are his son, James Dilts III; sisters: Deborah Locklear of Illinois, Rebecca Medina of Stevensville; two nieces: Kristi Baker of Bridgman and Jill Dilts Kinchen of Eau Claire; and five nephews; Shannon (Jen) Locklear of Illinois, Jason Baker of Phoneix, Ryan Dilts of Benton Harbor, Ron Brown of Florida, and William "Billy" Brown of Michigan. He has one very special cousin, Jamie Smith, along with other caring loving cousins and aunts and uncles.

As everyone was a friend to Jim, he had many. So many from the Pilot Truck Stop on Napier Avenue of Benton Harbor. A few special friends he spoke of often were Tommy and Margaret Woods, Bill Dodd, and Pete Vaughn, all of Florida, very special friend, Tyrone of Benton Harbor, Harvey Hardin of Stevensville, and Butch of Stevensville. Other close friends: Rick Lowe, Jimmy Schrader, Jimmy Watkins, Larry Withrow of Benton Harbor, and his brother of Alabama and Wally Strebbs of St. Joseph.

A celebration of life service will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph. Dinner to follow. Cremation has taken place per his request.

Inurnment will be in Riverview Cemetery St. Joseph.

Donations in Jimmy's name may be made to Gift of Life Michigan or Donate Life in the state of your choice. Those who wish to sign Jimmy's memory book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Thank you for being a friend.