James "Jim" Harlow Halladay

James H. “Jim” Halladay, 88, passed away on Saturday, March 9, at Twin Oaks Assisted Living Center, Salt Lake City, Utah.

He was born on July 23, 1935 in San Antonio, Texas, the only child of Egbert and Ruth (Surber) Halladay.  He was named after his six-time great grandfather who fought in the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Bunker Hill. He was a proud American and dedicated patriot throughout his life. He spent his childhood in Texas, Kansas and Washington. He was a graduate of Renton High School class of 52. During his high school years he started his lifelong hobbies of racing cars, skiing and drawing.

He proudly served his country in the Air Force from 1952 to 1956. He was stationed in California, New Mexico and Texas where he served  as an aircraft flight line mechanic and fighter jet crew chief. 

Following his military service he worked for the Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington specializing in the B-52, KC-135 and 707 aircraft. 

On December 31, 1959, he married Joan Gerken in Renton, Washington. He and Joan later moved to California where he worked for North American Rockwell Aviation, Space Division for 8 years. Here he worked on the XB-70 and helped to prepare the Apollo Space capsules. He was also a very talented artist and attended art school in California.

In 1972 he and Joan moved to Salt Lake City and their only child Heather was born in 1973. In Salt Lake City he started working in outdoor advertising and would continue this career until retirement. He taught Heather to ski when she was two and they enjoyed many days skiing together. He skied until he was 75 years old and then continued his love of speed on the Bonneville Salt Flats. He was able to achieve the 130 MPH club with his Chevy Colorado Truck.

He always had a deep admiration for veterans. He truly loved helping disabled veterans ski through adaptive skiing at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinics. He also spent many hours in his retirement volunteering at the Veterans Hospital.

In 2017 he married Mary Ann Cowen. Mary Ann preceded him in death on February 22, 2023.

He was baptized into the Christian faith and became a child of God on Feb 14, 2024. He was extremely thankful for this gift.

His daughter, Heather, married Eric Ahlemeyer and Jim was blessed with five grandchildren Timothy, Shella, Brennan, Laura and Nathaniel Ahlemeyer.  He was fondly known as “Grandpa Jim”.  

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday April 9 at 10:00 a.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church, 1314 N. Michigan Street, Plymouth with Pastor Jeremy Lamont of Grace Lutheran Church, Sandy, Utah officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until the start of service. The committal, with military honors rendered by the U.S. Air Force and the Plymouth Am. Legion Post 27, will follow at New Oak Hill Cemetery.