Jimmie Lee Stelson

1933 - 2019

Jimmie Lee Stelson

Bremerton - Jimmie Lee Stelson, 86, died of pancreatic cancer at home in Bremerton, Washington surrounded by his wife and four daughters on August 14, 2019.

Jim was born to Nellie May and Earnest Nathan Stelson in Gypsum, Kansas on April 2, 1933 during the Great Depression. During WWII the family moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. When Jim was in 7th grade his father died of a suspected brain tumor. He joined the Army National Guard at Colorado Springs High School and signed up for the Army, until they learned he was actually under-age after a jeep accident at Ft. Hood nearly led to his leg being amputated. They sent him back to graduate CSHS in 1952. He got a full-ride scholarship to play football at Colorado College and after a year, joined the U.S. Navy "to grow up and find myself." The Navy sent him to Washington, D.C. for Fire Control Electronics school in 1953, where he met his future wife Judy at a USO dance. But the Korean War was on and Jim was deployed with the Pacific Fleet. When he was not manning the machine guns, he and Judy exchanged international love letters and on August 26th of 1957 they were married in Washington, D.C.

He returned to Colorado College, then was accepted into the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. After driving the not-yet-paved Al-Can highway in their green carry-all nick-named "SheHasta" (as in She Hasta make it!), he and Judy endured minus 50 degree weather, and in 1960 he graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree. Daughter Janelle was his graduation gift four days later. The only teaching jobs available were in the Alaskan "bush", so he instead was recruited into the first class of Alaska State Troopers based out of Anchorage, where Joanne was born in 1962.

But he still wanted to be a teacher. Jim earned his Masters degree in Education Administration at the University of Washington in Seattle, and when he was offered a teaching/coaching position with East Bremerton High School, he became a "Knight". He was twice selected "Teacher of the Year" and coached his wrestlers to 8 Olympic League championships, along with being an Assistant Football coach and scouting recruits for the UW Husky football team.

It was a wonderful time in his life, including the birth of his third and fourth daughters, Julee and Jeri.

Jimmie Lee's next big adventure led him to an Education Specialist job with the U.S. Department of Defense at Fort Eustis, Virginia. In 1990 he was deployed to the Middle East to teach the Saudi Royal Air Force how to fly helicopters. Wild times! Based at KKMC, 40 miles from the Saudi/Kuwait/Iraqi border, at one point a SCUD missile landed 100 yards from Jim's apartment.

In 1994, the U.S. Marine Corps hired Jim to work out of its headquarters in Quantico, Virginia, deploying him to bases around the country to teach systems training.

Retirement in 1997 saw Jim and Judy's return to Candy Cane Lane in Bremerton, Washington, but in no way slowed him down.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing on his boat "Nanook", volunteering with Central Kitsap Presbyterian Church, being VP of the Poulsbo Sportsman Club, working out at the YMCA--and eventually downsized into Silver Creek Meadows— a neighborhood for "older folks" as he called it, where he and Judy made great friends.

Through the church, between 1999 and 2011, Jim made a dozen trips to Oaxaca, Mexico to work with the Mixe Indians, and did similar work in Kenya, Africa.

For their 50th anniversary in 2007, he and Judy cruised from Venice, Italy to Greece, Turkey and Croatia... one of many trips in a life of service to God, country and his family that took him to all 50 states and around the world.

And we are going to miss that voice! Whether he was in the classroom, down on the mat shouting encouragement to his wrestlers, or coaching his football players from the sidelines, it was impressive... even recognized by KBRO radio in Bremerton, where he announced numerous sporting events.

Jim is survived by Judith Allen Stelson, his wife of 62 years (he is being buried August 26th on what would have been their anniversary) and his four daughters, Janelle Stelson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Joanne Stelson

(husband Steve, sons Joseph (wife Courtney) and Carl with former husband Corbin); Julee Stelson Longridge of Bainbridge Island, WA (husband Mark Longridge, Chris, Rachel, Ian and Olivia Longridge); and Jeri Stelson Weaver of Lancaster, Pennsylvania (husband Gary Weaver, son Grant Weaver).

Jim was preceded in death by his son, who died at birth in 1970, his parents, and his brother Fred Stelson of Port Lavaca, Texas.

The memorial service for Jim Stelson will be held Saturday October 12th at 2:00pm at Central Kitsap Presbyterian Church, 9300 Nels Nelson Road in Bremerton, WA 98311.

Memorial donations may be made to the Salvation Army in Bremerton, to USO.org or to Central Kitsap Presbyterian Church.