James McCandless

James McCandless, age 73 of Litchfield, MN passed away on December 4, 2024. A visitation will be held on Saturday December 21, 2024 from 1-3:30PM with a prayer service at 3:30PM, at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home, Litchfield, MN. Military Honors to follow. Burial will be at Ripley Cemetery in Litchfield, MN at a later date. 

Jim was born on December 20, 1950 in Litchfield, MN to Jerome and Lois (Danielson) McCandless. He graduated from Grove City High School in June of 1969. He played in all the sports and also acted in the school plays. He attended college in Golden Valley on a football scholarship in the fall of 1969. He was drafted in the US Army in May of 1970, and was honorably discharged in December of 1971. He was stationed in Korea on the DMZ where agent orange was sprayed. Because of this exposure, he developed diabetes early in life and had neuropathy in his legs and hands. He battled bladder cancer the last 4 years, which spread to lymph nodes to his back. Jim suffered with a lot of pain during this time. Following his discharge, he began working for his dad in 1972 at McCandless Construction. He married Diane Dollerschell on September 14, 1974. They recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. In 1977, Jim started working for the City of Litchfield as a mechanic at the waste water plant, retiring in 2009.

He loved playing all sports, basketball, football, baseball, softball, and bowling. He truly loved to complete puzzles of all kinds. Jim was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was always there to help and protect his family. He was always fixing something. Their home was built with the help from family and friends. Jim loved living at the lake. He was very smart and remembered everything, and was a mentor to many. He was a funny man, which always made Diane laugh. He loved his family, and was very proud to be a veteran. He was very active with the VFW in Litchfield, and was the Past Commander of 2818, past 6th District Commander of Minnesota, currently a member of Sauk Rapid post 6992, member of the Legion Post 104, member of the DAV in Hutchinson unit 37, and a member of the Cooties of St. Cloud unit 62.

Jim is survived by his wife of 50 years, Diane McCandless, children, Katie (Frank) Moeller, Kristie McCandless, Jesse McCandless, grandchildren, Kimberly (Chase) Menken, Krystal Moeller, Dalton Moeller, Dillon Moeller, Cody Smith-Gosen, Carrie McCandless, great-grandchildren, Alexander Gomez, Adan Lopez, Daniel Martinez, Jr., Nevaeh Menken, Leo Martinez, sisters, Carol (Wally) Higgins, Jean (Mike) Winslow, and Janet (Barry) Olson.

Preceded in death by his parents, Jerome and Lois McCandless.