James Allen Parker, 75

James Allen Parker passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on May 23, 2022. He went to feed the pigs and they ate him.

Jim loved music, Vespas, VWs and his BMW motorcycle and Morris Minor. He was happiest telling jokes and playing cribbage with friends and strangers on the road in Harvey the RV or one of his many Westfalias. His sense of humor was one of his best qualities. Even his family couldn’t always tell when he was joking and he kept on joking right up until the end. He could be seen across Montana tearing up the dance floor with his sweetheart and wife of 40 years, Christelle. He is survived by his beautiful daughters, Cierra (Brian) and Brynne (Dustin), who he was so proud of. He carried a photo of them in his wallet until the day he died. He’s also survived by four grandsons who were the light of his life (Paul, Evan, Adam and especially Parker). He was a voracious reader and crossword champion and is probably sitting now with a beer doing a NY Times Sunday crossword perfectly in pen. After he’s done, he’ll mow the lawn with tunes on and beer in hand, dropping in fresh raspberries as he cruises by the bushes.

Jim was born in Angola, Indiana, to Fred ‘Bud’ and Bernadette Parker on Nov. 1, 1946. He moved to Southern California in 1959. The second of five children, he was very close to his siblings, Patsy, Kathy and the twins, Bobby and Billy, and his cousin Dick Fisher. After high school, Jim joined the Air Force and married Terry Hansler. Later, while living in Santa Cruz, he explored Mexico and hiked the John Muir trail, culminating in climbing Mount Whitney.

Eventually he came to Kalispell in 1979 to ski and help his dad manage his apartments. He remained an avid skier until 70 despite health issues. He met Christelle in 1980 at the VFW in Libby. They married in 1981 on a boat on Lake Union in Seattle and honeymooned riding their bikes and camping in the San Juan Islands. Jim and Christelle took their family on many vacations that included camping, biking and rafting across Canada, the United States and Mexico. They road tripped from hot spring to hot spring as long as the VW van kept running. Jim was happy to retire from UPS after 18 years in 2005 (He would remind everyone to follow safe driving habits) and enjoyed regaling his customers with jokes.

Fittingly, he passed away on the 143rd day of the year, or “143 day.” Since high school, 143 was his code for “I love you,” a numerical shorthand from the number of letters that make up each word.

Jim really appreciated the care that he got from Dr. Obermiller and his nurse, Ann Rigg. Their compassion and humor gave him additional good years.

Jim liked to say, "You've gotta have good nows, if you want to have good wases.” And he certainly had a life full of them!

His family and friends are planning a big celebration of remembrance to be held this fall, one worthy of the life Jim lived.