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James (Jim) Bohnsack,61, died Wednesday, ,December 17th, 2022 in Titusville, Florida, with his wife of 37 years, Denise Stanberry Bohnsack, and their sons James Bryan and Barry James by his side in their condo on the Brevard County Space Coast located near where his sons work and reside. Jim met his wife, Denise, of Dewey, Oklahoma, at the Sooner Park 4th of July celebration in 1982. Jim would say, We met on the 4th, and have had a blast ever since! They were married less than a year later on June 18th, 1983.
Jim, a native and proud Bartian, was born in Bartlesville to longtime downtown residents Milton and Wanda Bohnsack, on January 18th, 1960. His parents were family oriented and hard working and once managed a business and resided in the apartment above in downtown Bartlesville which is now a parking lot behind Arvest Bank.
Jim liked to dine with friends at Dinks and Lot A Burger and comment, "I was born in Bartlesville and have made it far! All the way across the street! Jim grew up on 9th Street and walked to all his schools, including Garfield Elementary, where the community center now resides, Central Middle School, and College High School. He later attained his Finance degree from the University of Oklahoma and his Masters at Tulsa University. Always furthering his education, Jim attained other degrees in finance, banking and trust at schools throughout the nation. Jim felt education was the key to success available to anyone who so desired it and so he made his lifelong mission to support students, teachers, and educational institutions. Early in his career, he taught evenings at Tri County Technical School, Rogers State University, and Wesleyan College. Some were computer classes when few knew how to use the computer, and some of his earliest colleagues deemed the contraption a fad, He led bond issues to improve and enhance the local school system, He encouraged and promoted local college students whenever possible to help them get started in their careers. He helped establish the Tri County Tech FIRST Robotics team, knowing this would open the door for local students wanting to pursue a career in engineering or the space industry.
Jim served on far too many boards, committees and fund raisers to mention, most all benefitting the Bartlesville community Some highlights include, Board member and President of the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce, Charter Member and President of the Bartlesville Daybreak Rotary, Board Member of the Bartlesville Community Foundation. Jim was Masters of Ceremonies of the Bartlesville Unstoppable Rally, an event created to bring the community together when it was announced Phillips Petroleum would be relocating the headquarters to Houston. He often wore his Unstoppable TShirt in his brave fight against his advanced MS and Cancer. He was winning. He was given 1 year and made it 3 before he was called home.
Jim and his wife teamed up on several community projects including the Light of Bartlesville Celebration, and served as honoree Chairmen for the Indian Summer Celebration, and the All that Jazz Gala to benefit the Bartlesville Westside Community Center. Whenever possible, Jim would hold events to honor veterans, servicemen, policemen and first responders, Jim was a proud American and deeply felt we should honor and thank these individuals for their service and sacrifice, He led a bond issue to build a new police station as the old one was in bad shape and in the flood plain and he felt our policeman deserved better.
Jim started his career early, mowing lawns at 12 years of age, to save for his desired first edition moon stamps. In high school, he was a DJ for KYFM radio, proclaiming "All Music, All the Time!" On summer breaks from college he worked as an intern accountant for Phillips Petroleum Company and later was employed there after graduating from OU, but was convinced by Walter Allison, Don Doty, and Barry Hudson that he needed to work for First National Bank. With his personality, banking should be his career. And so it was. And except for a short stint in Indiana and Orlando, where he managed a bank downtown in the big city, his career would be with Bartlesville First National Bank, which evolved into WestStar Bank and then finally Arvest Bank, While in Florida, Donny Story and his wife Cheryl, met Jim and Denise on a beach vacation and told them it was time to come home. Bartlesville needed them, And so they did. Jim spent many years at Arvest and became an Executive Vice President until his career was later cut short by devastating health news. So they moved back to Florida to spend the rest of Jim's days close to their boys and to watch the rockets Jim loved so much.
It is likely that Jim will be largely remembered for his longtime role serving as moderator for the Friday Financial Forum. This community meeting held every Friday at 10Am would host dignitaries, celebrities ,politicians, musicians, financial experts, and local community leaders. All in fun, if possible, Jim gave his honored guests a hard time and hoped they would return the favor. Once a talented musician with the New York Symphony who was in town for OK Mozart, blessed the audience with a beautiful solo with his ancient, and priceless Stradivarius violin. Jim offered to help. He told the artist he deserved a brand new violin, and we could pass the hat to get him one!. Jim flavored his program with jokes, some met with groans, but always with good intentions. Jim loved his Arvest family and appreciated all the organization did to allow him to work as long as possible by meeting his disability needs while at the same time improving the landscape for everyone. At his last Friday Forum, before handing over the reins to his long time friend, Earl Sears, Jim was given several awards for his service to the bank and community. Jim Walton presented Jim with a plaque from the bank for his many years of service, he received a citation of recognition from the state of Oklahoma, and Bartlesville Mayor Dale Copeland declared September 14th, 2018 as Jim Bohnsack Day in the city of Bartlesville, and furthermore commemorated the occasion by naming the Shawnee extension behind Bartlesville High School as Jim Bohnsack Avenue. Earlier at the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce gala, Jim was presented with the Frank Phillips Award, given to a citizen or business for outstanding contributions of time, energy and talent to the city of Bartlesville's economic and community development efforts. In addition, Jim was awarded the coveted Silver Sow Award from KWON radio station for his long time efforts to bring attention to events as they happened.
After retirement, with the prodding of Bill Buckles and Jerry Poppenhouse, and their extraordinary talents, Jim also authored a not for profit, limited edition book of Poems and Ditties which he never intended to publish It is in the local Bartlesville library. He wrote the poems and ditties while residing with his wife at Harbor Pointe Condominiums. Jim made many friends at the condos and was part of the pool exercise group, bible study and sunset watching club and was delighted none of his new friends had heard his old jokes that he could recycle.
In his youth, Jim attended the downtown First Methodist Church, and through his role models there, and the MYF club, gained many life long friends and developed many aspects of his character and his deep love of the Lord. His final words included the scripture John 3:16. A scripture he repeated over and again.
He was known also as an avid OU football fan, a love he developed with his father listening to the games on the radio, who passed when Jim was only 19. The tradition of loving football Jim would pass on to his sons. Jim was the self proclaimed President of the Joe Washington Fan Club. Joe, OU legend and former NFL great, would send his famous silver shoes, truly more appropriate for a sports museum, to Jim via Barry Switzer. Priceless. A gift from the heart.
The Celebration of Life to honor Jim will take place Saturday, January 22nd, 2022 at 10 AM at the Bartlesville High School Fine Arts Auditorium. In leu of flowers, it is requested, if so desired, that donations be made to the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation, 1100 Jennings, Bartlesville, OK 74003 or to the Tri County Technical School Robotics Team, 6101 Nowata Road, Bartlesville, OK 74006, with the notation in memory of Jim Bohnsack. Or whatever way you choose to honor the local educational system to provide opportunities to youth.
Jim was one of a kind, funny, smart, talented, unique and irreplaceable individual. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Denise Stanberry Bohnsack, his sons, James Bryan and Barry James, his sister Sue Nickles, his sister, Jane Bousum and her husband Chris, many nephews and nieces, cousins, aunts and uncles, in laws and mother in law, Cleo Stanberry of Dewey.
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