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This obituary was printed in the Goldendale Sentinel -- October 3, 2012 | Vol. 133, No. 40. James Kenneth Zevely James Kenneth Zevely was born to Kenneth Arnold Zevely and Ruby Rosella (Vallett) Zevely on May 8, 1923 in Bend, Oregon. He passed away September 2, 2012 at the Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles, Oregon. His children, Jim and Barbara, were with him at his passing. Jim lived in Bend until he was five or so. His father was a telegrapher for S. P. & S. Railway so they moved around. They lived in Stevenson, Washington where Jim’s grandparents lived. They settled in Goldendale, where Jim went to high school. He played basketball, football and was in track. He graduated from high school in 1942. After graduation he entered the Army in February of 1943. He was a clerk typist, Sharpshooter (M1 Rifle). He attended drafting school while in the Army. He served in World War II, in Northern France with Engineering MM Detachment. Jim was honorable discharged January 1, 1946. After returning home he worked in the shipyards for a short time. He then went to work for Boise Cascade and worked out of Yakima in the Goldendale area until his retirement in 1986. He met and married Catherine Bush June 28, 1947. They had two children, James Allen and Barbara Jean. Jim was a life member of the American Legion Post 116 of Goldendale. He had been a member for 66 years when he passed. He was also a member of the 40et8. He held various positions at the post. He, Carl Davidson, Cal Demaris, Bud Counts, Dwaine Bruner and Jack O’Leary put together an old car and used a flathead V8 out of a woody wagon owned by Carl Davidson. The car was named (7/11). They raced at the dirt track in White Salmon in the middle 50’s where now stands the Columbia High School and Henkle Middle School. The school track is on what used to be the old race track, just smaller. In the middle and late 60’s he helped maintain the high school track and on occasion helped as time keeper. He enjoyed helping kids. He loved all of the grandkids no matter the circumstances. He loved showing them around to places and things that they had not seen before. He was a real practical joker and enjoyed doing little magic tricks and mechanical puzzles. One year there was a young girl that could not afford the basketball shoes that the other girls were wearing so he bought her a pair so that she could have the same as everyone else. Of course, he never wanted anyone to know about it, that was just the way he was. He did things like that because someone was in need. There are just too many things to list. Suffice it to say that we feel Dad was an exceptional man, liked by all who really knew him. He was a soft-spoken, kind-hearted man. He is survived by a son James A. Zevely; daughter Barbara Jean Rude (Zevely); and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services were held at Columbia Hills Memorial Chapel in Goldendale on Sept. 8 with interment at Mt. View Cemetery in Goldendale. |