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Jim Deffenbaugh, 71

Jim passed away peacefully at his home on March 2, 2018. He was born in Paxton, Ill., to Lloyd and Esther Deffenbaugh on Jan. 11, 1947.

Jim led a life of love, duty, adventure, achievement and community service. He grew up in Paxton, Ill., with John and Ann, his brother and sister. Following his father’s legacy, Jim served his country as an officer in the U.S. Army. He graduated with a degree in anthropology from Cal State, and from the University of Southern California with a degree in accounting. He was director of the Panhandle Area Council (PAC) for 30 years, enabling and driving economic development and growth for northern Idaho cities, counties, and the Coeur d’Alene and Kootenai Indian tribes. He served in the International Executive Service Corps helping to develop countries in Africa, as well as Alaska Indian Reservations. A descendant of the Wright Brothers, he inherited a passion for flying, having flown around the U.S. in his own plane throughout his life.

He was married for 25 years to Sharon until her death in 1996, and married Linda in 1997. They shared 21 beautiful years of marriage.

To know Jim was to know his love of the outdoors, adventure and family. From diving in the lost city of Naples, Italy, for Roman coins with his brother, to jumping off cliffs in Fiji, which made him chief of the tribe that day! Surviving a plane crash to not miss the hunt, ice fishing with grandkids, flying cross-country as a pilot, river rafting, zip lining through the forests, snowmobiling in the high mountains, fly fishing in Montana, to hunting big game with friends, sons, and grandsons in Montana, Idaho, and Alaska. He continued to feed his passions, all the while creating lasting memories for him and the people he loved.

1 Corinthians 13:13, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Jim is survived by his wife, Linda Deffenbaugh; brother John and his wife, Dorothy; sister Ann Burcham and husband, Frank; nephews and nieces Daren, Lorraine, Jennifer and Brittany; sons and daughters Jeremy, Jason, Christina, Derrek, Viola and Nikki and grandchildren Brennen, Kaelyn, Jadon, Justice, Jackson, Jada, Dylan, Lyric, Sojourner, Stephanie and Emily.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 10, 2018, at Yates Funeral Home, 373 E. Hayden Ave., Hayden, Idaho. Please visit Jim’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.