James Clifton McIlraith

1967 - 2024

James Clifton McIlraith

September 24, 1967 - December 28, 2024

La Quinta, California - In Loving Memory of James McIlraith (1967 2024).

It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic loss of James Clifton McIlraith, our cherished husband, father, brother, son and friend. Jim departed this world on December 28, 2024, at age 57, after suffering a sudden heart attack. He leaves behind a legacy of love, kindness, and unwavering strength.

Born in Olympia, on September 24, 1967, Jim was raised in Washington State. James made his home in the Olympia area for most of his life. Most recently, Jim and his beautiful wife, Kristin, called La Quinta, CA, their home.

Jim's early life was highlighted by airplane rides with his dad, dirt biking in the Tree Farm, and playing football. He attended elementary through high school with many of his lifelong friends and graduated from Timberline in 1986. His high school football career was full of outstanding memories, and he earned a scholarship to play at Yakima Valley College, where he played one season before his heart called him home to Olympia. It was then that he trained at Clover Park Technical College and embarked on a lifelong and gratifying career in firearms and corrections.

Jim joined the Washington State Department of Corrections in 1991, a profession that afforded Jim many opportunities to make friends and lead a purposeful life. He was very proud of the work he did with the Extraditions and Emergency Response Teams, and advanced to retire as a senior member of the Firearms Training Unit working on McNeil Island.

If you were fortunate enough to know Jim, you were blessed. Jim knew his true north. He shared his love and passions with those he knew best. His infectious personality and willingness to try anything once made him great fun. He was a passionate UW Husky and Seattle Seahawks fan, loved all things golf, and most recently volunteered his time at the Palm Springs Air Museum as a docent in the B17 hangar.

Jim's true love resided with his family. Jim married the love of his life, Kristin, on the gorgeous Island of Hawaii in 2018. They enjoyed life together and faced both challenges and adventures with great zest and a love one only knows once in a lifetime. His daughter Gabby, who recently graduated from college and began her career in Pittsburgh, was a bright light in his life, Jim enthusiastically embraced his role as a stepfather to Lexie and Austin and as co-parent to he and Kristin's adored dogs, Jack and Gracie.

After retiring in 2023, Jim, Kristin, Gracie, and Jack began exploring our beautiful country, driving coast to coast, taking time to explore, reconnect with old friends, and make new ones along the way.

James is preceded in death by his beloved mother, Jeanne Frances McIlraith. He is survived by his wife, Kristin; and their children; Gabriella McIlraith Miltner, Lexie Calapp and her husband Matt and Austin Kappl; his father, Glen McIlraith; his sister and brother-in-law, Jennifer and Edgar Dahl; his uncle, James Baker; and countless friends who he considered family.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 25, at 3:00 p.m. at The Hub at Lacey, located at 676 Woodland Square Loop, SE, Lacey, WA. In lieu of flowers, Jim's family requests donations be made to the Behind the Badge Foundation, supporting law enforcement officers who have died or suffered serious injury in the line of duty.