James Allen Shuhardt Jr.

James Allen Shuhardt Jr. passed away at Vibra Hospital in Redding on October 1, 2014, five weeks after having heart surgery in Medford, OR. He was 82 years old. He was attended to by his loved ones throughout his final days. Jim was born in St. Louis, Missouri on August 17, 1932 to Georgia and James Shuhardt. His family moved to East Saint Louis, Illinois when he was five. Throughout his school years, he was active in all sports, especially football and baseball. He was one of 20 chosen to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals, being called up twice before the great disappointment of having to withdraw for family reasons. He attended one year at Belleville Jr. College before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served two years. The summer after graduation, he met his wife-to-be, Carol Meddings, at a church softball game. They were married on May 31, 1952 on Jim’s leave from boot camp. They recently celebrated 62 years of a beautiful, blessed life together. Children Lee Ann, Jon Dimitri, Janet Elizabeth and Peter Scott completed the family circle. Jim was very hard working, starting early mowing lawns, selling magazines, a paper route, stock boy for Krogers, ice packing plant and other jobs. After the Marines, he began his life career in drafting and tool design. Before his forced retirement for disability in 1979, he was Senior Manufacturing Engineer for McDonnell-Douglas/ Boeing Aircraft. Some notable projects included the SkyLab, the Apollo project and the cockpit for the DC10. His uncle, Jimmy Kalemaris, whom he loved and who mentored him, encouraged him to try his hand at the restaurant business. From 1962 to 1965, he ran the Court Plaza Café in downtown St. Louis before deciding to move his family to California. Santa Ana was home from 1965 until 1992. Jim’s dream to design and build his own home became reality when he found ten acres in beautiful Northern California, Yreka and began building in 1989. He spent many a night sleeping in his truck and having soup at Jerry’s for two years. He moved his wife up from Santa Ana in 1991. Jim did many hours of volunteer service during his life. He did medical appointment transports for the “Some One Cares” program at the local hospital for five years. He was involved wherever needed at his son Peter’s school for the developmentally disabled. Jim was always ready to help others. Just give him a call and he was there. He soldiered on throughout his life in spite of the pain from his disability and the many medical issues he faced. He had a vast collection of eagles and a vast collection of Publishers Clearing House envelopes. He could build or fix anything (but cars) and always had a hammer in his hand. He loved God and his Yreka Berean Church family who were the center of his social and spiritual life. He also spent a few hours at McDonalds! Jim is preceded in death by his son, Peter Scott Shuhardt, his sister, Janet Florence, a granddaughter, Crystal Dawn Shuhardt and his son-in-law, Kip Trumbule. Survivors include his wife, Carol Shuhardt of Yreka; his daughter, Lee (Philip) Gordon of Tustin, CA; his son, Jon (Julie) Shuhardt of Oak View, CA; his daughter, Janet Trumbule of Benson, Arizona; grandchildren Jared, Bret and Gregory Gordon of Orange County, Candace (Brian) Wood and Casey Shuhardt of Oak View, and two great granddaughters, Makayla and Makenzie Wood. “It’s good enough for who it’s for, Jim, but it’s the Taj Mahal to me!” No sorrow, no tears, no more PAIN...God says so! Now dance and laugh with Peter, my love, until we meet again. A visitation will be held on Thursday, October 9, 2014 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Girdner Funeral Chapel in Yreka. A memorial service celebrating Jim’s life will be held on Friday, October 10, 2014 at 11:00 AM at the Yreka Berean Church, 203 Wetzel Way in Yreka. Please join us in a potluck lunch following the service.

James Allen Shuhardt Jr.

August 17, 1932 - October 1, 2014