Philip Warren James

Phil is preceded in death by his mother Zola Marie Newcomb, his father Dwight E. James, and his brother Alan James (wife Suzanne).

Phil is survived by his wife Peggy James of Arlington, WA; his son, Jerry James (wife Susan) of Seattle, WA and daughter Kaori Lopez (husband Gabriel) of Peñasco, N.M. and his brother Morris James (wife Sandy) of Port Hadlock, WA. and his grandchildren, Ciana López, Owain James (wife Jennifer), José López, and Muirenn James. He is also survived by numerous fun- loving and musical cousins, nieces and nephews. He hosted many family gatherings since 1984 filled with music and laughter.

Phil grew up in Keller, Washington, then moved to Kettle Falls for elementary school. He later moved to Spokane where he attended sixth grade through high school, graduating in 1952 from Central Valley High School.

Some of his jobs early in life included Greenough’s Supermarket in Spokane, Sears, Roebuck and Company, Kaiser Aluminum, Boeing Aircraft Company, the Washington Natural Gas Company, a commercial salmon fisherman, and a cycle mechanic.

He attended Eastern Washington College in Cheney; Washington State College in Spokane and studied architecture at the University of Washington. He transferred to Western Washington College where he received a BA in Industrial Arts Education in 1961.

After graduating from college Phil worked on a fishing boat in Alaska for the summer and then took off for a year to travel. His intention was to ride his BMW motorcycle to South America. He got as far as Mexico and ran out of money. He ended up on a Danish freighter which took him to Algeria, Greece and Italy. He hitched across Europe visiting Spain, Germany and Denmark. He returned to the US on a troop ship when his mother, Zola took ill.

His first teaching position was at Pullman High School from 1962-1964 where he was an instructor in mechanical drawing, driver’s education, wood shop and plane geometry.

Phil accepted a teaching position at the Department of Defense Overseas schools in Izmir, Turkey in 1964, where he met the high school librarian Peggy Swindell. They were married in November of 1965 and lived in Turkey until 1966.

During his time in Turkey, Phil rode one thousand miles through Syria and Lebanon on his BMW motorcycle, encountering many varied experiences from camel fights to viewing a Syrian truck driver lift a table with his teeth on New Year’s Day.

In July, 1966, Phil and Peggy’s first child, Jerry James was born. The family moved to Itazuke AFB, Japan where Phil taught high school industrial arts and drafting. In Japan, he raced motorcycles with his friend Karashima, including a motocross race at Nagasaki where he blew up the engine of his motorcycle. In June of 1969 their daughter Kaori was born.

In 1970 the family moved to Lajes Air Force Base in the Azores Portugal where Phil taught Industrial Arts In the Azores his best friend Othon engraved scrimshaw on whales’ teeth. Phil had students design and build a playhouse, and learn to work on motorcycle engines. While in the Azores Phil found property outside of Arlington Washington on the Stillaguamish River. Phil designed and built the house during the summers when the family returned stateside. His father Dwight James and wife Jeanette were living in Concrete Washington not far away from the property.

From the Azores, the family moved to Germany where Phil taught architectural design, drafting and auto mechanics in Kaiserslautern. Many of Phil’s students were inspired by his classes and went on to pursue careers in architecture and engineering. With Phil’s encouragement, one of his student’s won a national design award from the magazine 1984 Popular Mechanics.

In Germany, Phil spent many years restoring a 1953 BMW motorcycle, which was sold to a museum in Berlin. In Waldfischbach Germany where the family lived, “Der Phil”, as he was known by the locals, visited the Gasthaus and Sauna regularly becoming an integral part of the community and a regular at the Stammtich.

In 1984 the family moved back to Arlington, Washington. Phil continued to improve the home and five acres on the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River. He was a substitute teacher in the Arlington and Darrington school districts for 10 years. Phil also continued working on and riding motorcycles. He took road trips to Alaska and did the Iron Butt on his BMW GS100. Phil also restored a fleet of eight Honda TL125 motorcycles to form a backyard Motorcycle Soccer league which is still active and thriving today.

The Arlington property was designed by Phil as a gathering place for family and friends. His hospitality, extended to weddings, memorials, motorcycle soccer meets, 4th of July parties, reunions and many gatherings. He wanted everyone to “do something” so he set up a badminton court, volleyball, tether ball horseshoes, croquet, baseball, ping-pong, sweat lodge, sauna and more. All according to precise measurements.

Special thanks and praise goes to the loving caring staff at Quilceda Creek Adult Home in Marysville, WA. where he spent the last five months of his life. He was at Cedar Creek Memory Care the previous ten months where he had loving caretakers. Special thanks to the Oso Fire Department for helping us on numerous occasions.

The Weller Funeral Home in Arlington will have an open casket viewing on Thursday starting at 1pm and a 4pm service for the family officiated by Dawn Foisie, Rector at the St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Marysville.

A Celebration of his life will be held in Arlington at a later date due to restrictions during the pandemic.

Remains will be buried at the family cemetery in Creston, WA. Donations may go to the St Philip Episcopal Church in Marysville, the Oso Fire Department, Alzheimer Association, and the ACLU.