Joseph James Livers

Joseph James LIVERS Age 99, died on Jan. 31, 2003. Joe had been a resident of the Kenney Presbyterian Retirement Home in West Seattle. Joe was born on Aug. 12, 1903 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania to Charles Edward Livers and Theresa P. Horline Livers. Joe's parents were from Kansas City, Missouri. His father was an engineer working in various places in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Old Mexico, Great Falls, Montana, and various places in California with the aircraft industry. Joe was the first-born in the family and had one brother, Carlos, and two sisters, Virginia and Betty, all now deceased. Joe married Mary Christine Fuhrman on Thanksgiving Day, 1925 in Kansas City, Kansas. They met in Yellowstone Park where Joe worked as a bus driver (gear jammer) and Mary worked in Mrs. Pryor's Curio Store (the Hamilton Store). Joe graduated from Great Falls High School and graduated from Montana State College in Bozeman, Montana with a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Science, major in Mathematics, in 1928. He subsequently taught in the Mathematics Department of the college taking some time off in later years to earn a Master's Degree in Mathematics from Washington State University, Pullman, Washington in 1933. He returned to Montana State College and with some summer studies and a years leave of absence received a Doctor's degree in Mathematics in 1945 from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. During the summer of 1951 Joe began working for Boeing in Seattle in a summer program. At the end of the summer he accepted a full time position with Boeing as a statistician, he retired from Boeing in 1964. Joe finished off his working career by going back into college teaching and administration. He taught Mathematics as Highline Community College in Seattle. He served as Math and Science Department Chairman at Highline Community College in Seattle from 1965 to 1969 at which time he retired. In 1989 Joe and Mary moved from their West Seattle home on California Avenue to the Kenney Presbyterian Home near their beloved Lincoln Park in West Seattle. Joe was an avid outdoorsman, interested very much in skiing, fishing, hiking, and camping. He was instrumental in development of early skiing facilities such as ski tows and a warming cabin at the Bear Canyon Ski Area east of Bozeman Montana. During the years in Washington he and Mary skiied many of the Washington areas and also made trips to Sun Valley, Idaho. Joe loved to fish the trout streams and rivers, and lakes of Montana. He took his family on camping trips to the Spanish Peaks and Hilgard areas of Montana, also Glacier Park. He and Mary hiked, fished, and camped in the Canadian Rockies and the Washington Cascades as well. Joe was a most enthusiastic tennis player and he and Mary played the game well into their later years. Joe was a voracious reader and often read his favorite books twice. Mary died at the age of 101 on June 7, 2000. Joe and Mary had two sons, Carlos (now deceased) and Jim. Survivors include: Sons and their wives, Jim Livers and Marian Livers, Roseburg, Oregon; Elaine Livers, wife of Carlos, Bozeman, Montana. Grandchildren - Linda Monson, Bozeman, Montana; Susie Sailer, Chester, Montana; Tom Livers, Helena, Montana; Chuck Livers, Anchorage, Alaska; Lauren Livers, Anchorage, Alaska; Nancy Berdimurat, Kalispell, Montana; Peter Livers, Ashland, Oregon. Great Grandchildren - Michael Monson, Bozeman, Montana; Kaci Monson, Denver, Colorado; Josh Brown, Great Falls, Montana; Rebekah Brown, Spokane, Washington; Jennifer Brown, Bozeman, Montana; Joe Livers, Missoula, Montana; Sarah Livers, Helena, Montana; Melissa Berdimurat, Kalispell, Montana; and Karl Berdimurat, Kalispell, Montana. Great Great Grandchild - Kiera Delaney Brown, Great Falls, Montana. Sister-in-law - Kathryn Fuhrman, Clearwater, Florida. Numerous Nieces and Nephews. Memorial contributions may be sent to: Kenney Presbyterian Retirement Home 7125 Fauntleroy Way S.W. Seattle, WA. 98136