Boundary County ID Archives Obituaries.....Burkholder, James A. Sr. September 1, 2002
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Bonners Ferry Herald, Thursday, Sept 5, 2002
Thrusday, September 5, 2002 
James A. Sr.Burkholder, age 82, passed away quietly at his home in Bonners
Ferry, ID on Sept 1, after being diagnosed with lung cancer only a month earlier.
Funeral services will be held at the Bonners Ferry United Methodist Church at
10:00 am on Saturday, Sept. 7. Internment will immediately follow at the
Grandview Cemetery.
Jim was born June 22, 1920, at his home in Moravia, Idaho. When he was just a
boy, Jim and his father, Ed, and brother, Ted, rode horseback while driving
their herd of dairy and beef cattle from their Moravia homestead, through the
streets of Bonners Ferry, to Perkins Lake where they resided with his mother
Francis for many years.
Starting out raising cattle and farming on the marshes of Perkins Lake, they
soon began logging. The family logging operation continued to run, feast or
famine (mostly famine), until Jim entered the army.
With the blessing of Blaine and Jose White, Jim married his neighborhood
sweetheart, Valdie White, On Oct6, 1942. On furlough from Ft. Lewis, WA., and
with $20 to their name, Jim and Valdie traveled to exotic Priest Lake to
honeymoon in a cabin that was rundown even by Jim's standards.
Jim served as a medic in the Pacific Theater participating in the invasion of
the Philippines and Okinawa. 
After returning from world War II, he learned to fly airplanes under the GI bill
which came in handy as he frequently flew back and forth to Southern Idaho, to
visit Valdie in the hospital.
He also bought surplus war equipment to start Burkholder Logging which continued
in operation until 1990.
While Jim often had to break the back of the woods of Boundary County to make
equipment payments (and always complained of poor scale), he was industrious and
thrifty.
Living in the same house for 47 years and wearing the same pair of jeans for 10,
Jim's only splurge was travel where he accompanied his family to five continents
and 48 states in depth.
While he was excited to travel the world, he was "always" even more excited to
get back home to family, friends and his dog in beloved Boundary County.
In his modest way, Jim always talked up North Idaho to people he'd meet; when
somebody asked Jim what he did for a living he would say one of two things, "I'm
a dozer operator or gyppo logger." Jim also worked on the flood dykes, built
roads, fought forest fires (including famed Trapper Peak fire for 80 straight
days) and piled brush for the Forest Service.
While sometimes as many as 40 people working for Burkholder Logging, usually it
was two or three.
In the end at age 70, just as in the beginning at age seven, it was Jim working
alone in the woods sawing and decking.
Jim was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church. Besides serving his
country, Jim served his community.
Just this year, he was given the honor of lifetime membership in the American
Legion in recognition of the many offices he held over the years including being
its Finance Officer for over 20 years.
He was also a member of the VFW, Odd Fellows, and worked with the Cub and Boy
Scouts. Jim also served on the Bonners Ferry City Council and Planning and
Zoning Committee for over 30 consecutive years.
Jim is survived by his wife, Valdie, sons Jim Jr. and Rockey, daughter Teresa,
daughter in law, Ruth, son in law, Marty, grandchildren Jim III and his wife
Christina, Mikkel, Bridgett, Brittany, Lex, and beloved dog, Shing-I.
 .


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