James R. Schoenbaum

James R. Schoenbaum

James R. “Jim” Schoenbaum was called by the Lord to eternal peace on July 29, 2021, of natural causes. Jim was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Dec. 10, 1931, to Lempi M. (Timonen) and John Puffer. After his mother remarried, Jim was adopted by stepfather Carl. F. Schoenbaum in 1938. Jim was raised in Wisconsin, and attended high schools in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Bedford, Indiana; and graduated from Lincoln High School, Canton, Ohio, in 1949.

Jim moved to Montana in 1949 to work and attend the University of Montana. He worked several summer seasons for the U.S. Forest Service and, for a number of years, worked the night shift at Missoula White Pine Sash Co. while attending the University. In 1952, Jim and Shirley Revel were married in Missoula.

Following graduation from the University in 1955 with a B. S. Forestry (Range Management) degree, Jim began a lengthy career with the U.S. Forest Service, serving as Assistant Ranger at Dubois, Wyoming; District Ranger at Paonia, Norwood and Steamboat Springs, Colorado; and Forest Resource Staff Officer at Delta, Colorado, and Sheridan, Wyoming.

In 1977, Jim was reassigned to Missoula as Regional Land Uses Specialist for the Northern Region. In this assignment, he was heavily involved in the development of national-level Forest Service lands training programs at the National Training Center in Marana, Arizona, and at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He participated in many national issues, and in the development of national Forest Service policies, working closely with the USDA Office of General Counsel, U.S. Dept. of Justice, and the national Forest Service staff in Washington, D.C., and worked closely with many state and other Federal agencies.

In 1978, Jim and Colleen Reynolds, a family friend of many years, were married.

After almost 37 years of service, Jim retired from the U.S. Forest Service on Dec. 30, 1989, and gave full attention to managing an intensive grazing management program with steers on their irrigated acreage. The operation became a showplace of small acreage management in the area.

Throughout his life, Jim maintained an active interest in many activities, including hunting, shooting, aviation, skiing, ranching and farming, and his church.

After Colleen passed away in June 2001, Jim retired from ranching, and moved back to Billings. In April 2003, Jim and Irene Heiken, of Broadview were married. They enjoyed a happy life together, camping, caretaking the FW&P fishing access site at Deadman’s Reservoir, enjoying Irene’s cabin there, and touring and visiting family and friends in Montana and Wyoming.

Jim is survived by his wife, Irene; sons Robert of Sheridan, Wyoming, and Carl of Colorado; stepdaughters Carla Reynolds of Billings and Cathy Stone of Missoula; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His father, Carl; mother Lempi; brother Richard; and daughter Joanne Burkdoll preceded him in death.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 1241 Crawford, Billings.

Cremation has occurred, and an interment service will be held at Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Missoula at a later date.

At Jim’s request: In lieu of flowers, friends may wish to remember Jim with a donation to Holy Spirit Episcopal Church, 130 S. Sixth E., Missoula, MT 59801; St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Billings, or to Jim’s favorite charities, the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association (ADRDA), and American Cancer Society.

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