James Gerald Wooden, age 85, of Murrieta, CA, passed away Sunday, March 9, 2014, Murrieta, CA after a brave 2 year fight with lung cancer. He was born on June 23, 1928 in Santa Monica, CA, to the late Gerald E. Wooden and Grace Benton Wooden.
Jim graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1946 and graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 1952. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps as a lieutenant. He worked at Douglas Aircraft and Rocketdyne. In the 1960's he discovered sailing and the game of bridge and bridge became his main entertainment and had become the director of the Colony Bridge Club for 15 years.
In 1981, Jim and his wife Jean moved to Friday Harbor, WA where he managed a marine supply store. When he retired in 1997, they decided to move back to California (Murrieta). He served in the Army during the World War II.
Jim is survived by his wife, Jean of 40 years, sons John and Jim. Step daughter Cathy Hendricks, and 6 grandchildren.
