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Jim Lewis Ketcher, 79, of Idaho Falls, Idaho passed away of natural causes on August 15, 2016.
Jim was born in Stilwell, Oklahoma, to Calvin and Lillian Ketcher. He went to school in East Pevine, Oklahoma, in a one room schoolhouse, grades 1 through 8, then on to high school in Stilwell, finishing school in Lawrence, Kansas.
Jim enlisted in the Army in 1956, and was initially stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. He was then rotated to West Germany, where he volunteered to join the 101st Airborne Division. Jim was proud to serve his country as a member of 101st, and spoke of the experience helping guide him through life.
After his Army service Jim returned to Stilwell. There he married Velma, who bore him two children, Danja and Calvin. Much later Jim and Velma were divorced, but were friends always. They moved to Northern California, where Jim received his bachelor's degree, and went to work for a time for Standard Oil. He went on to Stanford University, becoming their Affirmative Action Officer.
Jim went home to Oklahoma in 1975, where he worked with the Cherokee Nation. Jim's heritage was half Cherokee, as his father, Calvin, was full blood American Native. Jim worked with the tribe for a year and it was he who developed the Cherokee membership card still in use today.
In 1976 he moved to Idaho Falls, becoming Affirmative Action Officer for Argonne National Laboratory on Argonne's Idaho site, and a little later he was made Manager-Human Resources for all of Argonne West.
In his later years, before retirement, Jim was promoted to Assistant Division Director for the large Reactor Experiments and Engineering Division, (The Reed Division) where he worked with his very good friend and Division Director, Mike Lineberry. In this position Jim very capably handled all administrative affairs for the Division, down to the last important detail.
In 1997, Jim married his loving wife and constant companion, Cathey. They had met in Chicago, on one of Jim's many trips back and forth to Chicago in service of the Reed Division. With her, to the end of his life, he shared his love of the outdoors, of hunting and fishing, and his passion for the beauty of the mountains and rivers of the great northwest.
Jim had many good friends who spent much enjoyable time with him in Idaho's great outdoors, on weekends and throughout the seasons. But Jim was special, he was always thoughtful of others, knowing the Idaho countryside, suggesting new adventures,and always carrying more than his share of the load. We, his friends, deeply miss him.
Jim is survived by his very caring wife, Cathey Ketcher, daughter, Danja Ketcher, son Calvin Ketcher, brother Kenneth Ketcher, Cathey's sons James and Robert Morse, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother, Neal Ketcher.
Family and friends gathered on Saturday, October 29, in, Idaho Falls in commemoration of the Jim's life, and to pay our respects to our much valued friend.
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