James Norman McCullough

James Norman McCullough, 1951 - 2020, Jim to family and friends, 69.

Resided in the Agnew area of Port Angeles at time of death.

Passed away on Thursday, December 3rd, 2020.

He died in his bed at home looking out over Hurricane Ridge of the Olympic Mountains in Hospice Care after a long battle with Pancreatic Cancer.

Born at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Bellingham and grew up outside of Everson, WA. 

Jim attended Deming Grade School and Mount Baker High School. 

Completed a Bachelor of Science degree at Washington State University.

Headed to Alaska in the summer of 1975. Did construction and odd jobs in Anchorage before working for the Forestry Service down in Ketchikan. From there headed to Kodiak to work for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Initially Jim was a seasonal employee only working summers allowing him to take off for South America and Australia in the winters.  He later managed the Salmon Fishing in Sand Point on Popov Island from May to October, then back to the Kodiak office through the winter. By the mid 90’s he supervised the Department of Fin Fish for all of South Central Alaska. He retired after 30 years from Fish and Game in May 2009.

Kodiak was the best place for hunting and fishing. Jim had a small cabin cruiser that he would use for hunting and fishing trips around Kodiak and Afognak Island. His freezer was always full of Halibut, Salmon, Rockfish and deer. Often he would stop by The Brother Francis Shelter and give them some of the catch on his way home.

When friends and family came to visit Jim loved showing them all around the road system and would take them out in his boat, the Sandpiper Too.

There were hunting trips where he was flown out by float plane to a remote areas on Kodiak Island with hunting pals and he even took his wife a few times.

Jim married Linda in 1993 after corresponding by letters and email for a year. He always referred to Linda as his Mail Order Bride.

He showed Linda how to handle a rifle and shotgun then took her hunting and Trap Shooting. 

They would spend time on Kauai and then Moloka’i for a break from the Kodiak winters. 

Jim retired in May 2009 leaving Kodiak with his wife and their two canine companions for his 5 acres on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.

He spent the next ten years fishing, gardening, brewing beer and making wine from the assortment of berries in the yard. 

Jim did a few fishing trips up to Canada but mostly fished in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Jim didn’t just go Salmon fishing, he enjoyed going out for Dungeness crabs, and clamming. 

Jim and wife Linda did get to Scotland (2014) and Australia (2018-19). Jim also took camping trips with Linda and Keta their Standard Poodle in their Teardrop trailer.

Jim was also a volunteer member of Streamkeepers and also a member of the Lead Entity for Salmon's Technical Review Team.  Jim was one of the volunteers who participated in the culvert inventory field work needed to inventory thousands of Clallam County road culverts.

Jim was also part of CERT, the volunteer organization trained in disaster response skills. 

Jim’s life had been full.  Jim shared with his wife Linda over the last few months that it was ’OK’, he had no regrets. He had done and seen just about everything.

Jim may have been small in stature but he was big in heart. He made friends quickly with his bright eyes and huge smile. You could always count on him to give a hand when help was needed.

Survived by his wife Linda of 27 years and Keta, their Standard Poodle; His son Clint Jason McCullough by an earlier marriage to Mari Folsom Walker; his siblings Elaine Hetterly of Auburn WA, Lee McCullough (Anne) of White City, OR, Sylvia Adams of Redding, CA and Judy Barthel (Mark) of Blaine,WA.

Predeceased by parents, Lester Lee McCullough, Helen Marguerite Leslie McCullough.

Jim will be meeting at the Rainbow Bridge with Cody, Shadow and Maggie - all faithful companions.

No memorial planned at this time.

Please consider donating to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in lieu of cards and flowers. Thank you.

Donate - Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at wwwpancan.org

To donate by phone, please call 877-272-6226

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