James Russell Clements

He was born June 17, 1928, to Russell and Beatrice Clements in Fresno, California. While he was growing up, he worked at his father’s iconic Chevron service station on Van Ness Boulevard, not far from Hamilton Junior High and Fresno High School, both of which he attended.

He played football at Fresno High and pursued the sport to the next level with a brief stint at Fresno State and for three years as a Beaver at Oregon State, where he obtained his degree in horticulture in 1950.

Back to Fresno, he found himself summarily smitten by a lovely brunette from rival Roosevelt High, Irene Francesconi. They married in January of 1951, forever.

Jim worked briefly for the USDA (riding freight trains across the US ostensibly checking out the viability of what were then new refrigerated cars…though from the stories told, he saw more than a few of the great Yankee’s while waiting for the west bound return holed up in a New York City YMCA!). In 1951, he joined Producer’s Cotton Oil Company as a bookkeeper at the Huron gin. He rose through the ranks and moved with his young family from Fresno to Yuma to Chandler to Brawley, then finally back to Fresno in 1965 as the Company’s senior executive overseeing field operations. He left Producers in 1967 and spent the next several years in the automobile business as a sales manager at Fresno Motor Sales. Subsequently, an opportunity arose for Jim to return to his true love – agriculture; and for the rest of his working years, he spent lots of time “in the field” holding various management roles in, farming, marketing, and consulting.

Jim’s interests were boundless. Extremely well read and an avid historian, his advice was sought and his counsel appreciated by many from all walks of life and professions. To this end, while everyone around him thought he would enjoy the expanse of information contained on the Internet, Jim had no need – he was a walking Wikipedia and was likely the source for much of the information contained therein!

On a more personal note, at some point, and for unknown reasons, Jim took on the handle, “Sumpy”; and that is what he became to all the grandchildren. As busy and full as his life was, Sumpy loved and insisted on being an important part of each family member’s life. He never missed a game, a recital, a graduation or a family gathering. Always an encouraging word, always eager and willing to take the time to listen, dissect and help develop an answer to someone’s dilemma, Sumpy had a way of making life’s complexities…well…less complex.

He was a president of the Bullard High Boosters while all three of his children attended; he was an active member of the Serra Club of Fresno, and an early and faithful member of the Bulldog foundation.

Sumpy is survived by his wife of 62 years, Irene; 3 children: Mike (Robbye) of Boise, Idaho; Jacque Wilson (Bob) of Hanford; Pat (Paulette) of San Carlos; 7 grandchildren: Michael (Stewart) of NYC; Nicholas, of San Francisco; Timothy, of Bozeman, Mt.; Matthew (Shara) of Hanford; Sarah of San Francisco; Niccolina of NYC; Stephanie of San Carlos; and 1 great-grand child: newly arrived Luke of Hanford!

The family would like to extend its utmost appreciation to the wonderful medical staff at Kaiser Permanente and to St Agnes Hospice for the kindness, empathy and attention

always given.

Remembrances may be made to St Agnes Hospice and The Serra Club of Fresno.