James “Jim” Flexer boarded the train for his final trip on February 4 in Issaquah, WA. Born in Leavenworth, WA on May 20, 1931, Jim lived in Cashmere until moving to Seattle in 1940. He graduated from Garfield H.S. in 1949 and Whitman College in 1953. There he pledged Beta Theta Pi and met his future wife Susan Moitoret. Jim served in the U.S. Air Force for twelve years, living in St Louis, New Mexico, Japan, and Omaha, and attaining his Masters in Meteorology from the Univ. of Washington in 1960. Leaving the Air Force as a Captain, he moved to Bellevue in 1965, and was later made Major in the reserves. Jim worked at Boeing Computer Services and helped raise four children while active in his church, St. Margaret’s Episcopal in Bellevue, where he served on vestry and taught Bible study. He coached girls track for Eastside Track, golfed and bowled, and enjoyed boating throughout the San Juan and Gulf Islands. After retirement in 1991 he pursued lawn bowling and Volksmarching, accomplishing 10k walks in all 50 states, often combined with Elderhostels and other travels.
Jim enjoyed spectator sports of all kinds, trains, and long road trips, along with maps and all things geographic. He spent time in later years with his garden and doing family research with the Eastside Genealogical Society, along with annual trips to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. Jim is preceded in death by his brother Bob (1991) and daughter Elizabeth (2014). He is survived by his wife Sue; his children Steve (and Janet), Jay (and Joann), and Kate (and Jim); grand-children Jacquie, Jessica, Ryan, Carleigh, Phillip, Frances, and Benjamin; great-grandchildren Callaway and Garrett; sister-in-law Carol, niece Julia, and nephew Marc; and a whole host of friends and relations.
Jim’s memorial service will be held at St Margaret’s Church in Bellevue on Saturday, February 15 at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, Jim specified donations to St Margaret’s or the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The family especially wishes to thank the staff of Aegis Living of Issaquah, who cared so lovingly for Jim in his last six months.
May Jim rest in peace, and rise in glory.