James D. FISH

1949 - 2017

FISH, James D.
September 8, 1949 - December 13, 2017

James D. Fish "Jim" passed away on December 13, 2017, due to complications associated with Alzheimer's Disease. The form of the disease that he suffered from was particularly aggressive, manifesting itself literally overnight. As a result, he lived at Memory Haven in Sumner, Washington, from February 4, 2015, until his death.
Jim was the first child born to Don and Irene Fish of Deer Park, WA, where he grew up. While attending Central Washington University, he met his future wife, Dorothy. Upon graduation, Jim was commissioned into the United States Air Force, spending time in both California and Alaska. After obtaining his MBA, he left the Air Force to pursue a career in finance/banking. The remainder of his professional career was spent as an executive at Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, expanding it into several states. Jim retired after 28.5 years.
Flying was always in his blood, but being partially color blind, he could not fly commercially or in the Air Force. He earned several ratings in general aviation, then decided to put his love of flight to work as a Docent for the Museum of Flight. He spent many weekends volunteering his time there, until his illness prevented it.
Jim is survived by his wife of 44 years, Dorothy, as well as his beloved dog, Jamie Mae. In addition, he is survived by his sisters, Janice (Bob) Cantley and Trish (Dale) Munson; nieces and nephews including Kurtis Cantley, Kimberly Cantley, Tim Munson and Erica Munson Hurst. On his wife Dorothy's side, nieces and nephews include Nathan Tallent, Kirsten Tallent Caine, and Megan Tallent Coalson; brother- and sister-in-law Tom and Jeanette Tallent; and mother-in-law Irene Tallent.
A memorial celebrating Jim's life will be held at 11 a.m., at the United Methodist Church, 901 Wood Avenue, Sumner, WA, on January 12, 2018. Please attend and share any thoughts you may have in celebration of his life. A special thank you to the staff at Memory Haven for taking good care of Jim during his illness. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Alzheimer's Association or to the charity of your choice in Jim's name.