Chester Gail James

With great sadness we announce the loss of our loved one, Chester Gail James, on October 2, 2020.  He was 91 years old.

The funeral will be held at 1:30 PM on Friday, October 9, at the First Presbyterian Church, Bismarck.  Social distancing and masks are required for those who attend.  A service livestream will be available on the funeral home’s website.

A private burial will be held for family at the ND Veterans Cemetery.

Chester was born at home on January 31, 1929 to Glen Elton and Clara Faye (Wood) James in Prescott, Iowa.

Chester had an idyllic childhood.  His dad let him fish, trap and hunt at a young age.  At twelve he often grabbed his hip boots, pack sack and guns, then walked toward the river ½ mile from his house to hunt and fish the day away!  Twice he was sprayed by a skunk and therefore couldn’t go to church those weeks - not a bad outcome for a boy!  These early experiences laid the groundwork for his lifelong enthusiasm and respect for the outdoors. 

Chester did chores for his mother.  He fed the chickens and hauled in several buckets of water from the outdoor pump for bathing and drinking.  From his dad, Chester became familiar with shop work, the lathe and mill, welding and blacksmithing.  Chester and his older sister Glenna were close, sharing interests like high school band, and tormenting each other as only siblings can do.  When Glenna would heat a grindstone for warmth in her bed, Chester would wait until she fell asleep and then sneak into her room to steal it for the night! 

Chester treasured his years growing up in the small town of Prescott, learning how to drive a ’41 Studebaker and a ten ton Holt caterpillar tractor at age 12,  listening to baseball on the radio and playing 6-man high school football.  Chester maintained contact with the 19 members of his graduating class of ’46, regularly attending class reunions and writing letters to them.

In Chester’s own words from a decades old letter to a classmate, …

“After graduation from high school I stayed around Prescott for a few years; worked some in my dad’s welding and machine shop and later for Green Hardware doing plumbing, heating, electrical wiring etc.  Then in January 1951 I was drafted into the army.  I went to Fort Riley, Kansas and took 16 weeks of basic training, then went overseas on the U.S.N.S. Pope.  I could tell you how seasick I was on that ship, but I don’t like to think about it.  I spent six months in Korea and then about a year in Japan with the 1^st Cavalry Division.  Returned home just before Christmas in 1952.  Feeling now that Uncle Sam owed me something, I took advantage of the GI bill and started college at Iowa State in the fall of 1953.  Also, I became interested in girls and got married in 1954 to a girl from Cromwell, Delores Cramer.  I majored first in geology and then later switched to wildlife biology.  Graduated in 1957 and came to North Dakota thinking we would only stay a couple of years but have been here since.  I worked for the ND Game and Fish Department.  We lived the first eight years at Stanley, up near the Montana-Canada borders.  I worked in 11 counties on a tree planting project.  I was on the road a lot and got to know the NW corner of the state pretty well.  We moved to Bismarck in 1965 and I managed Game and Fish land in nine counties around Bismarck.”

Chester and Delores had four children:  Mark, Mary, Laura, and Linda.  They fondly remember camping trips, the games of badminton outside and dominoes inside, and receiving funny cards with five bucks for pizza when they were at college.

Chester stayed true to his childhood interests and he honed the skills his dad bestowed upon him.  He fished and hunted.  He wrote about old fishing lures, rods, reels and motors.  In 1975 he was one of the Game and Fish biologists who accompanied a hunter on the first ND Bighorn sheep hunt.  He enjoyed muzzle loading competitions and won a few of them.  He was a tough competitor especially in the shotgun and long distance black powder cartridge events.

After retirement Chester drafted a plan to build a garage with an attached shop and then he did it all, the construction, the electrical work, everything except the concrete pour.  He worked on machinery, mostly his children’s cars, but he also made metal weathervanes and used his lathes for gunsmithing and woodwork.  Chester recreated broken parts or made new parts.  He built many of his own tools including two power hacksaws and a narrow belt sander.  He built the clay pigeon thrower that he and Mark used for many years.  He made end tables and bookcases and rebuilt and refinished other pieces.

Chester enjoyed daily morning coffee with his friends, monthly lunch with the Munch and Mingle church group and evening Westerners dinner and presentations.  He went to auctions and often bought the “dollar box” and other treasures.  He drove slowly past rummage sales and stopped at many of them. 

Chester was a good writer and an avid reader.  He enjoyed history including reviewing and researching his own family tree.  He liked cats, always had at least one or two, and gave them quirky names.

Chester resided at the Baptist Health Care Center for the last 20 months.  The staff there warmly welcomed him and in turn, they became near and dear to our hearts as they cared for him with respect and kindness and attention to his needs and interests.  We thank the entire staff and particularly the team in the Northern Lights neighborhood.  We appreciate you!

Chester’s family will remember him as an honest man.  A genuine person.  What you see is what you get.  He was quiet, though he had a quick and sharp wit.  He had unique nicknames for each of his kids and grandkids!

Chester was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, and his brother-in-law.  He was also preceded by his parents-in-law and his sisters-in-law and their spouses.

Chester is survived by his wife of 66 years, Delores, and their four children:  Mark (Cheryl) James of Colorado Springs CO; Mary (Doug) Bradford of Bismarck ND; Laura (Bill) Jensen of Bismarck ND; and Linda James (Steve Johnson) of Hudson WI.  Grandpa James will be missed by his eight grandchildren:  Mariah (Mihir) Raval; Douglas (Casie) Bradford; Melissa James; Eric (Amelia) James; Isaac (Sam) Jensen; Paul Jensen (Abby Ritz); Mark Jensen; and Ruth Jensen.  His three great grandchildren, Jameson and Oakley Bradford, and Natalie James, will carry on his legacy through family stories that will be shared in the years to come. 

Chester will be dearly missed by family and friends.