James Stephen Jewell

James “Jim” Jewell passed away on March 7, 2024 after a brief and unexpected illness. He will be remembered as a unique and special soul; a loving husband, father, and grandfather; a student of the natural world; and a quiet dreamer of deep thoughts.

He was married to Kathlyn Jewell (née Szyndrowski) for 50 years. They met at college orientation at University of the Pacific in 1970. He helped raise two children (Andrew and Ellen), doted on two grandchildren (Maksas and Hailey) and loved his children-in-law (Jacob and Scott). He had many friends. People knew him as gentle and kind.

Jim was born in Longview, Washington in 1949. He traveled to India in 1969 and studied traditional Indian dance, an experience which changed his life and opened his horizons. He worked for Caterpillar Tractor Company, sailed as a Merchant Marine, taught junior high, and owned horses out in the smack dab middle of oblivion in Doyle, CA. For decades, Jim worked for two large rail transport companies – riding the rails into woods and canyons unseen by anyone except those who maintain the tracks.

While working for Southern Pacific Railroad, he claimed to have had the honor of sharing an apple with “Fry Pan Jack” – King of the Hobos.

He hiked throughout the environs of Mount Shasta over his 43 years in Siskiyou County and was a devotee of native wildflowers: outings were often organized around locating elusive species like snow plant and ghost lily. He loved visiting Heart Lake for a chilly dip when the banks were laden with snow but the wildflowers were blooming down the slope. Everywhere he went, he looked down at small things. He always collected rocks.

In his later years, he was an avid dog trainer and competed with his dogs Lexi and Finn in agility competitions. He made new friends. He loved poetry, genre fiction, and literature. He deeply admired artists and thoughtful radicals. The last book he read was Hope: A Tragedy.

There is an old hobo saying that someone who has died has “taken the westbound.” Those who love him plan to meet again someday at the end of the western line.

For those who wish to honor Jim’s memory, in lieu of flowers you may donate to the California Native Plant Society or the Poetry Foundation.