James T. Dedman, 78

James T. Dedman, 78, passed away, Dec. 5, 2009, at Brendan House in Kalispell. He was born May 25, 1931, in Sullivan, Ill., and raised in Illinois. He attended Sidell High School in Sidell, Ill. He then attended Blackburn College in Carlinville, Ill., for two years, and graduated two years after, from the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill. He served in the U.S. Army, stationed one year at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and one year in England, building air strips. On Sept. 12, 1959, he married Barbara A. Cain, in Champaign. Jim worked in various jobs as a teenager, mostly on farms. In college, he worked for engineering firms and the state of Illinois, five years with Illinois Bell Telephone Co., and 25 years with the Engineering Department of the U.S. Forest Service, in Missoula and Kalispell. In retirement he worked for Pacific Power and Flathead Electric as an energy consultant. Jim was a member of the church councils of Bethlehem Lutheran and Eidsvold Lutheran churches, on the Somers School board, Flathead Safety Council and the Technical Advisory Committee, working on various safety concerns and the alternate route issue. He was a member of the Kalispell Lions and received the Melvin Jones Award. He was also responsible for building the picnic tables and maintaining the trees and landscaping in Lions Park. Jim enjoyed woodworking and built many pieces of furniture for his family. He also started the Destitute Cattle Co. with his friend Floyd LaBrant, finishing locker beef. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Elizabeth (Wetzel) Dedman; and an infant daughter, Katherine Marie. Jim is survived by his wife of 50 years, Barbara Dedman; sons, Thomas E., Daniel B., and David N. Dedman; grandchildren, Taylor Dedman of Helena, and Chloe and Colter Dedman of Kalispell; sisters, Connie Puzey and husband Clifford, and Ginger McGee and husband Jerry, all of Illinois; sister-in-law, Jane Becker, and husband, Charles, of Springfield, Ill.; and nieces and nephews in Illinois. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, at Eidsvold Lutheran Church in Somers. Memorials are suggested to the Kalispell Lions, P.O. Box 321, Kalispell, MT 59901; or Blackburn College, 700 College Ave., Carlinville, IL 62626.