James Dennis "Jim" Leman

James "Jim" Dennis Leman

James "Jim" Dennis Leman passed away March 4, 2026, after a long and full life marked by curiosity, service, hard work, and joy. He was born on August 20, 1934, in Douglas, Wyoming, where he grew up in the same home his father was raised in, on a ranch settled by his grandfather in the 1870s.

Jim attended a one room country school. For high school, he moved into town and lived with his grandmother during the winter months-an experience shared by many grandchildren over the years. His sister said, "Grandmother expected you to behave-so you did."

After graduating, Jim attended college briefly before joining the United States Army. He was stationed in Germany, and during his service he traveled to London to retrieve family documents that had been safeguarded there. He returned with parchment papers dating back to the 1700s, treasures that preserved generations of family history.

Following his military service, Jim worked briefly for oil companies before returning to college to earn a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wyoming. While in college, he married Lois Vroman also from Douglas, Wyoming. She liked his sense of humor and that he liked to dance.

Jim began his engineering career at Argonne National Laboratory in Idaho Falls, Idaho, working at the EBR nuclear reactor, the first in the world to produce usable electricity. He spent twenty years in Idaho Falls where he and Lois raised their three daughters-Pamela, Patricia, and Melissa. They lived on an acreage where they gardened, raised Appaloosa horses, and enjoyed a busy life filled with family, golf, bridge, bowling, camping, and lapidary interests.

His career later took him to Butte, Montana, where he worked at the nation's only experimental MHD (magnetohydrodynamics) plant, a project of DOE, and then to Monroe, Michigan, where he helped bring a nuclear plant online. Jim retired in 1989, continuing with some consulting work before devoting himself to family and the adventures he loved.

For the next two decades, they led a life of exploration. Some winters were spent in Arizona riding ATVs, rock hunting, square dancing, and being a support for his father-in-law. Other winters were spent in Borrego Springs, California where they were a support for his mother as well as volunteering with a paleontology group-attending classes, curating fossils in the lab, and going on field trips to search for new discoveries. He said it was one of his favorite experiences. Summers were filled with grandchildren, trips to the coast, and gatherings that became cherished memories. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Summers were spent in Boise, Idaho or Richland Washington where he transformed a bare acre into a garden filled with fruit and nut trees, flowers, and vegetables. They also completed three years in the Master Gardener program. They became active members of their church, Cathedral of Joy, and were members of the church's Silver Eagles group. The group supported both church and community service. For many years Jim served as one of the main gardeners at the large church grounds. Many remarked that the church's roses had never looked so beautiful until Jim cared for them.

In 2010 he was forced to slow down when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. They moved to Vancouver, Washington, to be near their daughter and to access the excellent Parkinson treatment available. Jim attended Parkinson exercise classes, sometimes as many as eight per week-and continued to live life fully including many cruises. A special Alaska cruise was spent with children, grandchildren, his sister and all eight of his nieces and nephews and spouses, a total of 38 family members.

In 2019, Jim and Lois experienced the heartbreaking loss of their youngest daughter, Melissa, to cancer.

In 2022, they moved to Tyler, Texas, to be close to family and to enjoy living in Meadow Lake Senior Living.

A year later, he moved to an apartment in Meadow Lake Assisted Living. He continued to enjoy a full life with lots of activities. The residents and staff became his second family. He was furnished all he needed to garden. He had multiple planting areas and liked to share his "harvest". He grew tomatoes, chives, radishes, onions, and okra. Although confined to a wheelchair, because of the daily devotion of his two daughters and travelling by golf cart, he was able to enjoy family get-togethers and fishing at the lake, sometimes including grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The Seahawks were "his team" for many years, and a highlight of this past year was that he was able to see them win the Super Bowl.

Jim is survived by his wife of 68 years, Lois; sister Dorothy Taylor, daughters Pamela Leman and Tricia (Steve) Bump, son-in-law Kevin Wright, eight grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter Melissa Wright and parents James M. and Lois A. Leman and sister Barbara Werner.

Through every chapter of his life, Jim carried two gifts that never faded: his sense of humor and his love of dancing. These qualities, along with his curiosity, kindness, and steady presence, remain part of the legacy he leaves to his family. In the future, a celebration of life will follow in Wyoming.