Jim Roger Kittle
courtesy photo
Jim Kittle
POLSON — Jim Roger Kittle passed at his home in Polson of pulmonary fibrosis on Feb. 12, 2015.
Born on Oct. 11, 1946, in Celina, Ohio, he was the second child of Royce and Ruth Kittle and grew up in both Ohio and Texas.
He started school at John Brown University but left and enlisted in the army in 1967 to be a helicopter pilot. That was also short-lived, as he broke his knee in basic training and then was assigned to be the hospital messenger, a faux pas that resulted in his becoming a disabled veteran. After leaving the army he taught school in the Mendon-Union School District near Celina and found his true loves—school teaching and his wife Linda Barger, whom he married in 1969. He never forgot his sixth grade students and to the end told fond stories of them.
Over the next 45 years he endured dozens of surgeries and worked as a petroleum chemist, telephone lineman, and telephone company manager before enrolling in the University of Montana, earning his teaching credential and becoming a rabid Grizzlies fan. In 1994 he joined the staff of Hillcrest High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho, imbuing his journalism and advanced placement writing classes with government, logic, skepticism, and a relentless drive for perfection. He did not tolerate foolishness and named himself the Caviling Curmudgeon, but those who could see beyond the crust found a smart, funny, and kind person who passionately cared for his students and their welfare. A number of them kept in touch to the very last week of his life.
He was a champion trap shooter, a sport he enjoyed with his son Jess in Washington and Montana and bemoaned his inability to “get out and shoot,” do more woodworking, run his tractor around his property, or visit the historical sites of Montana. He died with innumerable unfinished projects and unsaid goodbyes to many who will cherish his memory and miss him dearly.
Jim’s father and his brother John, precede him in death.
Survivors include his mother Ruth of Conway Arkansas; his wife Linda of Polson; his son Jess (Rene) of Polson; grandsons Brandon and Spencer of Missoula and Polson; sisters Judy (Larry) Johnson of Spokane, Washington, Paula Kittle of Conway, and Betsy (Donnie) Kankel of Bulverde Texas; brothers Michael (Lynda) of West Plains, Missouri, and Dana (Kim) of Colleyville, Texas; many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles; and an uncountable number of students whom he called his kids. Kids he loved beyond words and never forgot.
He was grateful for the loving support of his family, Home Options Hospice Care, the members of Mountain Peaks Bible Church, his therapists and fellow exercisers at St. Joseph Hospital Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center, the Veterans’ Administration, and many supportive friends, who all made this hard journey much easier.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015, at Polson Community Church, 1814 First St. E., Polson. The Lake Funeral Home of Polson is handling the arrangements. Messages of condolence may be sent to: www.thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com.
