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James Morris Sedler |
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February 11, 1931 ~ February 2, 2018 |
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February 17, 2018 |
James “Shamus” Sedler, 86, passed through this
life on February 2, 2018. He spent his final
days comfortably at home, surrounded by loving
family and friends, after a sudden and
devastating brain bleed. A celebration of his
life will be held on Saturday, March 17, at the
Double J in Troy.
The time is to be set.
Born February 11, 1931, in Pittsburgh, he was
just a few days short of completing his
eighty-seventh journey around the sun. James was
born to Edward Jerome and Anne Kelskey Sedler;
he was the second child of two, his sister Adele
Sedler Fargotstein being ten years older than
her adored ‘baby brother’.
After graduation from Taylor Allderdice High
School, James attended summer school at Harvard
in the writing program, then enlisted in the US
Coast Guard during the Korean War, patrolling
the North Atlantic. After Korea, James traveled
to the west coast, landing in San Francisco’s
North Beach environs during the beat generation
years.
It was during this period he was pinned with the
nick-name Shamus that he would be called by for
the remainder of his life.
After a stint exploring the world in the
Merchant Marine, he moved to Big Sur,
California, where he did a lot of hiking, worked
at the Nepenthe restaurant and met Elizabeth
"Liz" Elmendorf. Liz and James were married in
1965 in Big Sur, then moved to the San Juan
Islands, where they bought land and built a
small cabin on Lopez Island, where sons Jesse
David, 1966, and Moses Solomon, 1968, were born.
In 1967, they bought the property in the Yaak
that James would call home for the remainder of
his life, moving there permanently in 1969.
James and Liz separated in 1970, but would
remain friends throughout their lives.
James met Laura Zimbelman in 1972, and in May of
1975 they began the amazing life together that
would continue until his death. They blended his
two sons, with hers, Zachariah, and in 1979
welcomed son Edward Jay into the family,
completing the mix.
Always a man of hands-on work and the outdoors,
James worked for the U.S. Forest Service,
starting at Sylvanite Ranger Station in 1973,
and remained in fire prevention through the
transition to Three Rivers Ranger District until
he retired at age 62. He is fondly remembered
there as the old man of the fire crews, and for
mentoring many young college students through
his love of books, philosophy and tales of
traveling through the beat era.
In later years, he continued to pursue his love
of music and gardening, devoted himself to
reading and studying Buddhism and completed a
small volume of his poems. He was a life long
learner who cultivated friendships with the same
passion that he brought to his tomatoes.
James was preceded in death by his parents,
Edward Jerome and Anne Kelskey Sedler, his
beloved only sibling, Adele Sedler Fargotstein,
his uncle Joseph Kelskey, a powerful influence
on his young life, and by former wife Liz Sedler.
He is survived by his wife Laura Sedler, sons
Jesse Sedler, Moses Sedler, Zach Hawkins and
Edward Sedler. He is also survived by well-loved
daughters in law Astrid, Roni and Heidi, who
brought him much joy. He will be deeply missed
by grandsons Shamus Cedarhawk, Winter Rain,
Andrew James, Forrest Edward, Milan Leo and
Elijah Graham.
Donations may be made to the Troy Food Pantry,
Troy Volunteer Ambulance, Lincoln County Coats
for Kids or to the worthy cause of your choice.
Arrangements are under the care of Schnackenberg
& Nelson Funeral Home & Crematory of Libby.
Online condolences and memories may be shared by
visiting
www.schnackenbergfh.com. |
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