James Victor Engdahl

James V. Engdahl passed away January 22, 2026, at the age of 91, peacefully at home with his beloved dog Bulldog by his side. Jim lived a unique life by his own rules.

Jim grew up and attended high school in Highland Park. As a young man he joined the Army as a combat engineer. He was parachuted onto a remote Arctic island with his fellow combat engineers where they built a runway and airbase from nothing. He attended Lake Forest College and would have graduated at the top of his class but was told he had too many credits in his major, economics, and so he simply walked away without graduating. Soon after Jim began selling used cars at Bernard Chevrolet, quickly becoming their top salesman. He later opened a used car lot in north Libertyville, only to be told Libertyville did not allow used car lots. He persisted. They folded. Jim later acquired and later sold a Chrysler new car franchise.

After selling out of the new car store Jim met and began a long association with Russell and James Ray running the Lloyd C. Ray real estate office. Jim achieved success in all aspects of real estate. In 1975 he opened and operated the wildly successful BL Plenty's restaurant in Grayslake.

Despite his success in real estate and investing, Jim's true love was his canine friends. Jim had over 15 dogs of varying breeds in his lifetime and each dog held a special place in his heart and in his life.

Jim is survived by his brother, Robert, his nephew Kurt Engdahl, his nephew Eric (Meg) Engdahl, and his niece, Lynette (Brian) Lang, as well as his great nephews and nieces Kyle (Coryn), Timothy, Emily (Hunter) Kelley, and Jack Engdahl, and Charles and Robert Lang. He is also survived by his ex-wife, Barbara Lee Kane, and his ex-sister-in-law, Laurel Anzelmo. He was preceded in death by his sister-in-law, Melinda, and his parents, Clarence R. and Rose Engdahl, as well as many, many canine friends.

Funeral services will be held at Marytown at a later date. Interment with military honors will be at St. Mary Cemetery in Lake Forest. In lieu of flowers, memorials made to the Society of St. Francis, 12300 116th St., Kenosha, WI 53142 or Orphans of the Storm, 2200 Riverwoods Rd, Deerfield, IL 60015. Funeral arrangements by McMurrough Funeral Chapel (847) 362-2626. Please sign the guestbook at libertyvillefuneralhome.com