James Pack

James William Pack, aged 86, was born on the ninth day of June, 1939, in the small, unincorporated community of Saint Aubert, Missouri, to Nelson William Pack and Mary Ellen Edson Pack Grover. He went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, February 7th, 2026, surrounded by his children, their mother, and his son-in-law.

James was given religious instruction by his maternal grandmother, Theresa Marie Koenigsfeld Pack, a foundation that quietly shaped his values throughout his life. When James was ten years old, his family moved to Salem, Oregon, where he grew up and would spend much of his life. He attended Saint Joseph Elementary School, Parrish Middle School, and North Salem High School. During his school years, with friends, restlessly curious, he occasionally rode freight cars south along the West Coast, stimulating his sense of mischief and adventure.

At just seventeen years of age, with his father's permission, James joined the United States Navy and served as a Seabee. His service took him first to Okinawa, Japan, a place still healing from the war and unforgettable to a young serviceman seeing a new country for the first time, where military routine alternated with open-air markets, tropical heat, and unfamiliar sounds and languages. He was later stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, where life revolved around long days, hard conditions, and the awareness of serving on the far edge of the nation.

After returning from the Navy, James met his wife and lifelong friend Molly through her work at the Oregon Department of Education. They were married in 1961 and made their church home the Faith Baptist Church in Dallas, Oregon, and their early home in Salem, where he worked at the Oregon State Penitentiary. They welcomed their daughter, Darla Faith, in 1966 and their son, Kenneth James, in 1968. In 1970, the family moved to Dallas, Oregon, where they made their home for the next eighteen years and where James worked as a heavy equipment operator for Boise Cascade Plywood Mill and then Hampton Lumber Mill. He loved his work at both companies.

He was a member of IPSC, ARPC, and the NRA and took great pleasure in firearms, reloading, and in the competitive shooting community, placing high and earning many medals and ribbons for his skills, as well as serving as a firearms safety instructor. He also loved hunting, motorcycles, classic cars, and sharing movies with his children, especially films starring John Wayne, classic Hollywood cinema, military dramas and documentaries, HBO's Deadwood, and the work of Denzel Washington. His favorite film of all time was the 1969 film True Grit. His favorite books included those by Colonel Jeff Cooper, Peter Hathaway Capstick, and Elmer Keith.

Among James' favorites in music and quotation were Rossini's William Tell Overture, the Bible verse John 3:16, and a quote by Bill O'Connor: "A golf course is the willful and deliberate misuse of a perfectly good rifle range."

As a father, James taught by example. He modeled honesty, a strong work ethic, resilience, and a dry, enduring sense of humor. His presence was steady, his principles clear, and his love for his family unwavering.

James is survived by his daughter, Darla Faith Packe Seeley; her husband, Jeffery Ralph Seeley; his son, Kenneth James Pack; his friend Molly Joan Pack and his niece Wendy Ellen Moore and many other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Patricia Marie Pack Peterson and Sandra Lee Pack Colombe, and his brother, Philip Marshall Pack.

Private services will be held for immediate family only.

Memorial donations may be made to the National Rifle Association.

His family adored him, and our loss is immeasurable. We ask for your prayers.