James William Hawley

James William Hawley, born on September 21, 1921 to Everett H. and Reta G. Hawley in Twin Falls, Idaho, passed away peacefully on April 24, 2014 in Missoula at the Bee Hive Homes.
After he graduated from Twin Falls High School in 1939, he worked at Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica, California until he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He served in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations during World War II from 1943 until the war's end. While in India, he met and married Helen Middlecoat , a first-grade teacher, on April 8, 1946 at her family home in Jubblepore, India. Upon his discharge from the Army Air Corps in late 1946, he and his wife returned home to Twin Falls, where they raised their two children, James (retired USAF, Major) and Lynn (retired USAF, LtCol).
While in Twin Falls, he worked as a furniture salesman and owned a spudnut shop until he joined Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in 1952. He rose to Assistant District Manager by 1958 and retired from MetLife in 1983 after 31 years of service. He was active in the Idaho State Life Underwriters Association and was State President in 1968. He earned his Chartered Life Underwriters (CLU) designation from Bryn Mawr University in 1969.
His wife Helen died suddenly in 1986 after 40 years of marriage. His life began anew when he met and married Marjorie A. Stevens of Hamilton in June 1988. They enjoyed traveling, fishing, gardening, and golfing. Marjorie died in December 2007 after a long illness at age 86.
Jim is survived by his son, James of Warner Robins, Georgia; his granddaughters Sheila Ann and Cheryl Lynn; his daughter Lynn of San Antonio, Texas; his "adopted" daughter Tina of San Antonio, Texas; his step-daughter Linda and Jim DeMinck of Missoula; step-son Richard D and Marie Stevens of Athol, Idaho; and step-son Terry Stevens of Hamilton.
There will be a private memorial service at a later date. The family would like to thank the staff at Bee Hive Homes for their exceptional care and kindness while Jim was there. -
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hamilton Council on Aging, 310 Old Corvallis Rd.