Jim Hoel, KB7JG, 70, passed from this life into the next on May 27, 2009.

He was born in Wauwatosa, Wisc. on June 15, 1938 to Arnold and Lucile Hoel. He attended Milwaukie, Ore. schools and graduated from Milwaukie High School, but not before joining the Milwaukie Volunteer Fire Department in 1956, a move that was to set the tone for the rest of his life.

In October 1959, Jim married Suzanne Zirbel in Milwaukie and together they raised three wonderful children.

In 1962, the family moved to Renton where he worked for Boeing in the flight test division for seven years. During this time he again signed on as a volunteer firefighter, this time with King County Fire District 40. In 1968 he went to work full-time as a firefighter there. He switched to the Tukwila Fire Department in 1971, where he stayed until retirement as an assistant chief in 1989.

Jim’s career in fire service was not over then. The family moved to Whidbey Island in 1989 and he joined the Central Whidbey fire district, where he served as a captain until 1999.

Throughout his life, Jim was always public-minded. He worked for Island County Senior Services, managing Cam-Bay Apartments in Coupeville for 10 years. He was a member of the NRA, Central Whidbey Sportsman’s Association, a charter member of Seattle’s Museum of Flight and the Fishin’ Club on Whidbey Island. Jim served for several years, until his death, as water commissioner for the Lagoon Point Water District, where he and Suzanne made their home.

Jim was a private pilot for years and enjoyed that hobby as much as his ham radio hobby. He was proud of his “Flight to Nowhere” taken on the Concorde between Boeing Field and Boeing Field on July 30, 1989.

Jim is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Suzanne, at the family home; along with daughter Judy Tooley with husband Rob of Kent, son Karl, also of Kent and son Jon of Dallas, Texas; granddaughter Kristen Fisher with husband Tim of Milton; grandsons Ryan and Lukas Hoel of Dallas, Texas, Phil Tooley and Bob Tooley with wife Ashley of Kent; and great-grandson Carson Tooley. He is also survived by cousins Bruce and Arlene Mauger of Gresham, Ore., Kathleen and Wayne Shelton of Chehalis, and John and Mary Ann Mercer of Redmond. He also leaves his beloved dachshund, Ginger, and his 28-pound cat Sylvester.

A graveside service for Jim will be held at

1 p.m. Thursday, June 11 at Sunnyside Cemetery in Coupeville, with Pastor Jim Lindus and the Tukwila Fire Department honors team.

The family suggests donations be made to King County Fire District 40, Tukwila Fire Department or Island County Fire District 5.

Arrangements are entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel, where friends and family may go online at www.burley

funeralchapel.com to sign a guest register and leave memories for the family.