St. George, Utah – Jim Bill Ames, returned to his heavenly home on March 10, 2019 at the age of 90 while living in St. George, Utah. He was born February 3, 1929 in Chinook, Montana to Vivian Anna Jacobson Ames and James William Ames; the tenth of eleven children. He married Janet (Jan) Arlene McKenzie on November 17, 1951 in Maplewood, Louisiana, while Jim was stationed there in the Air Force.
Jim was raised in Chinook, Montana, Salt Lake City, Utah and San Clemente, California where he enjoyed spending time with his brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. Jim especially enjoyed time spent at the beach and learning how to fly a plane as a teenager. Jim was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many positions including Bishop of the Fresno 4th Ward, as well as serving two missions with Jan to the Latvia mission in Estonia and the BYU-Hawaii Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawaii.
Jim and Jan started their family of seven children in Tustin, California, moved to Fresno, California, then moved to Sanger, California where they lived for many years raising their children on the ranch and then moved to Victor, Montana. Jim and Jan enjoyed traveling with Jim’s insurance business to many cities in the United States. Living in Montana, Jim and Jan loved to hunt and fish, pack-trips on their horses into the mountains and spending time with their family and friends.
After the death of Jan on February 24, 2014, Jim married Mary Bailey Soelberg on February 27, 2015 and they made their home in St. George, Utah. Mary provided loving care to Jim especially as his health declined in the last few months.
He was preceded in death by his father; James William Ames, his mother; Vivian Anna Jacobson Ames, his ten brothers and sisters; Vanda Trotter, Virginia Culbertson, Madge Johnson, Mildred Dodd, Aurora Riley, Boyd Ames, Ruth Olsen, Ray Ames, Reed Ames, Anna May McCurdy, his spouse; Janet Arlene McKenzie Ames and a daughter; Jani Sylvia Ames.
Jim is survived by his wife, Mary Soelberg-Ames of St. George, Utah; children: Karry (Randy) Raber of Hanford, California, Rhonda (Chuck) Gividen of Corvallis, Montana, Jim (Tina) Ames of Moses Lake, Washington, John (Lisa) Ames of St. George, Utah, Brenda (Alan) Belnap of Hanford, California, and Deni (Tom) Robinson of Mica, Washington; 24 grandchildren and 61 great-grandchildren and counting.
A visitation was held in St. George, Utah on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at Metcalf Mortuary, 288 West St. George Blvd.
A graveside service will be held on Friday, March 22, 2019, at 11:30 a.m. at the Victor, Montana Cemetery with full military honors. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.