James Russell Wagstaff passed away October 10, 2020 - three days shy of his 80th birthday. The last four years of his life were a trial, slowly robbing him of physical and mental abilities.
Jim was the first child of Milton Brinton Wagstaff and Beth Jennings Wagstaff, and was raised on Garfield Avenue. We were told that he once won a "cutest child" contest, and we have the pictures to prove it. When Jim got his drivers' license, he became an active partner in his Dad's general automotive repair shop. On weekends, he and his father would take the train to California, and return, each driving a car (nearly new Cadillacs) to sell. In 1955 they took on their first new car franchise - Mercedes Benz, and shortly after that, they added the DKW line. That line was purchased by Volkswagen and then discontinued. It was then that the family began their relationship with Toyota, becoming the first Toyota Dealers in Salt Lake City. Long-time residents may remember one of their most successful promotions - to receive a pair of Tony Lama boots with purchase of a new car and the promotion of "get your hands on a Toyota" to see how long contestants could keep their hands on a car (which resulted in a happy marriage for Jim's sister Patsy).
Jim served a mission in Germany which began a life-long love affair with Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He made many friends in those countries - several of whom remain family friends to this day. He loved taking family, friends and youth groups to Europe, showing them the beautiful country sides and sharing the rich history. He loved driving the Autobahn where there was no speed limit. Lincoln Travel Center began as an extension of his love for travel. Jim was generous with his time and belongings - if someone wanted to see Germany on their own, he would offer his condo in Burghausen and provide step-by-step itineraries, complete with instructions for exactly where to take a bathroom break and how many kilometers from your last sightseeing stop to pull over for a snack. Andrea learned from personal experience that if you got lost, you could call him for instructions. Based on your current location he could tell you exactly which turn you missed and how to get back on track.
Jim is survived by his wife Linda, and children Sydney Wagstaff-Romero (Eric), Stacey Pinnock (Roger), Kenneth (Lisa), Andrea Binns (Kyle), Russell (Lisa) and Richard. Grandchildren are Samantha, Christian, Lucy and Ellie Pinnock, Gabby, Sophie, and Roman Binns, Emily Smith and Maxwell Romero, Sage Donaldson and Mathias Daniels.
Services will be held Friday, October 16th at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary - 3401 Highland Drive. Viewing from 10:00 to 11:00 followed by a grave side service. Following Covid-19 guidelines, please plan to wear a mask at all times and practice social distancing. Feel free to bring a chair for the grave site.
