James A. Story

                                      James Story— A Short Biography by his Family —

 James A. Story (Jim) passed away from natural causes on June 17, 2024, in Spartanburg, S. Carolina. He was 93.

 Jim was born June 9, 1931, in Laramie, Wyoming, the fourth of five children to Orland Leroy Story and Leona Leota Cowles.

 Raised on ranches near Laramie, Jim’s country upbringing made him who he was. He graduated from Laramie High School in 1948.

 As a teenager, Jim worked at a gasoline station and later joined his brother, John Story, at the Story Wrecker Service in Cody, Wyoming. Jim served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War.

 He met Mary Henderson of Cody at the 1949 Wyoming State Fair. Jim and Mary were married in Billings, Montana on June 25, 1954. They had 64 years together and raised three daughters.

 With a degree in geology from the University of Wyoming, Jim’s career took the family all across the United States. In the early days he was away for weeks at a time as a field geologist mapping rock formations and collecting ore samples for Ideal Exploration. Jim shared many a story of his adventures with his children. He worked in Ft. Collins, Colorado for Ideal Cement Company as a Quarry Supervisor and then Assistant Plant Manager. He later became the Plant Manager for Ideal Cement Company in Knoxville, Tennessee. 

 Jim loved classic country music. Among his favorite singers were Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Marty Robbins. He sang and played the old western songs all his life, and performed in a small band for years. Music was a family pastime, at home or around the campfire, with Jim on his guitar, Mary singing harmony, and the children joining in. He shared his talent with others, and sent many into a lifelong journey of music themselves.

 Jim and Mary loved to be in the hills, see a trail and drive up the trail as far as they could and then walk up the mountain. They spent hours looking for arrowheads and just being in the high country. They explored so many miles over the years that they could have drawn a map all their own. 

 Jim loved to go camping and fishing with his family. Thanks to this love, everyone in the family are campers, anglers and rock skippers extraordinaire. He and Mary would fish a creek for miles, catch their limit, and dine on mush and trout fried in cornmeal for breakfast. 

 Picnics were a family highlight. Hot dogs, beans, and chips were the standard menu. That picnic happened regardless of the rain or snow or bears nearby. 

 The mountains were Jim’s home away from home. To Jim and Mary, the Sweetwater River in Wyoming became one of the most beloved, magical places on earth.

 He and Mary could identify many species of birds, a hobby which all the family enjoys to this day. In later times, he had quite the friendship with the geese, ducks and deer near his home. 

 Jim was legendary for fixing. He was especially good with automobiles. As a Marine, he was assigned to maintain the fleet of Jeeps for generals. He beautifully restored an early 1950s Triumph TR3. It was important to him that everyone’s cars (family, friends, neighbors and strangers) were running well. He was a helper. Jim helped his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with school and other projects, sharing his creativity and love of geology. 

 Jim was a loving father. He often expressed his love for his family and was especially tender with his girls.

 He was the last of his siblings. Mary is deceased and Jim is survived by his daughters: Jamie (Bud) of Alaska; Joni (David) of S. Carolina; and Judi (Eric) of Colorado. Also surviving are his four grandchildren: Quinton (Tifany) of California; Weston (Natalie) of Washington; Karlie (Brett) of Florida; and Summer (João) of Texas; and eleven great-grandchildren among them. 

 A private memorial service will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s name may be made to the National Audubon Society (www.audubon.org).