James Dimitri Perehudoff

Jim was born on May 11, 1956 in Nelson. He was the oldest of three children of his proud parents, Bill and Mary Perehudoff of Thrums.

He is survived by his wife Sally, his son Sean, his daughter Megan; his brother Barry, his wife Caroline, their daughter Leeza, of Castlegar; his sister Melissa, her husband Sol, their daughter Enya, of Kelowna; his parents, Bill and Mary Perehudoff of Thrums; and his great-grandmother Mary Obrossimoff of Thrums, who is 90 years young.

Jim attended Tarry’s Elementary School, Kinnaird Middle School and Stanley Humphries Secondary School in Castlegar. He graduated in 1974.

He tried Wildland Recreation and Drafting as possible vocations, but before long he knew that he wanted to follow his paternal grandfather’s footsteps and became a carpenter. Jim studied carpentry in Kelowna and commuted between Kelowna and Penticton where he shared an apartment with his uncle Terry. Jim then served his four year carpenter’s apprenticeship, and his grandfather, the late William S. Perehudoff, who was a carpenter, proudly presented him with his carpenter’s certificate in March of 1981.

By then, he was married to the love of his life, Sally Perehudoff, whose maiden name is Johnson. Jim and Sally have two children, a son Sean, born June 23, 1983, and a daughter Megan, born May 29, 1988. Jim was very proud of both of them and loved them dearly. Sean is a student who lives in Kelowna. Megan is in Grade 10 at Stanley Humphries Secondary School in Castlegar.

Jim worked steadily for the last twenty years at the Pope and Talbot Sawmill in Castlegar. For the last ten years, he had the distinction of being the only full-time carpenter, in fact the only carpenter, employed there.

Jim and Sally bought Jim’s parents’ home in Thrums in 1985, when his parents moved into their new home. They have lived there with their children ever since.

Jim’s first love was his family and his home. His work demanded a great deal of his time and energy, but he still made the time and found the energy to be a loving and devoted husband and father. He maintained his own home very well and was always ready to help his parents, grandparents, great-grandmother, brother or sister, whenever they needed his help.

He also maintained a large vegetable garden and fruit trees. He made jams and canned vegetables. He enjoyed wine making and wine tasting. Jim also liked to make burl clocks. He donated one to a Tarrys School fundraiser and his parents coincidentally bought the winning ticket. He donated other woodwork to the Tarrys School.

Jim was also a gifted athlete who enjoyed success in a number of sports. He was a prominent pitcher and hitter in little league baseball. At age 14, he was a member of the Stanley Humphries Junior Boys’ volleyball team that won the West Kootenay Championship in 1971. He also enjoyed bowling and was one of the top bowlers in Castlegar, bowling a fine game the evening of his passing. Golf was probably his favorite sport. He was a top junior golfer and continued to golf at a high level throughout his life. At the end of the 2003 golf season he owned the third lowest handicap in the Castlegar Golf Club, and the lowest handicap in the family. He regularly had golf scores of even par or within a stroke or two of par. He seemed to play the game for the challenge and the satisfaction of playing it well, rather than to be better at it than someone else. He was always a gentleman, both on and off the golf course.

We will always remember Jim for his remarkable athletic talent, but we will remember Jim more for his fine qualities as a human being. We will remember and cherish him for his unselfishness, his kind and gentle nature, his quick wit, his ready sense of humour, and his reluctance to criticize.

We will remember him as a loving and devoted husband, father and son.

May he rest in Peace.

Arrangements under the direction of First Memorial Fun.Serv. & Cre in Castlegar, British Columbia, 250.365.3222.