Obituary of James Arlo Sargent

James Arlo Sargent (83), resident of St. Maries, ID passed away at Valley Vista Care Center on April 12, 2016, after a short stay at Benewah Community Hospital. He was born February 19, 1933 to Ralph and Olga (Shave) Sargent in Ripon, WI. Jim grew up in Ripon and Green Lake, WI, and graduated with the class of 1951 from Ripon High School. After high school, Jim served 4 years in the United States Air Force. He was stationed in Tripoli, Libya in North Africa. After one year, Jim returned home and married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Dorothy Wesner, on December 27, 1952. The Air Force took the couple to San Rafael, CA and Yuma, AZ before he was honorably discharged in December, 1955. Jim and Dorothy returned to Wisconsin, where Jim attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering. From there, they returned to Ripon, WI, where their daughter, Sandy, was born. Jim worked at Eckstein’s Plumbing & Heating, and eventually earned his Master Plumber license while there. He also served as a Ripon volunteer firefighter. In 1966, the family moved to Madison, WI where Jim went to work for the State of Wisconsin as a District Plumbing Supervisor. In 1969, Jim was promoted to the position of Director of the Bureau of Plumbing & Fire Protection Systems in Wisconsin’s Department of Industry, Labor & Human Relations. Jim and his family resided in Sun Prairie, WI for 22 years while Jim worked for the State of Wisconsin. During this time he also served 15 years on the Sun Prairie Police & Fire Commission. In 1988, Jim retired from the State of Wisconsin and moved to Kohler, WI to join the Kohler Company in the Product Approval Division as Manager of the Codes and Standards Unit. During his 10 years of service with Kohler Company, Jim’s job provided him the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the world, something he absolutely loved. Following retirement from Kohler Company in 1998, Jim and Dorothy moved to La Crosse, WI to be close to their daughter and her family and to enjoy life on the Mississippi River. They returned to Ripon in 2007 to complete their retirement years among old friends and extended family after their daughter and her family moved to St. Maries, ID. In 2012, following Dorothy’s death, Jim moved to St. Maries, ID to live with his daughter and her family. Jim was a member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Ripon, WI, and the Zor Shrine Masonic Temple, Lodge #5, in Madison, WI. He loved to travel and enjoyed trips to Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park after his move to Idaho. He also enjoyed fishing Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers, including Lake Michigan, and fly fishing in Alaska. He loved deer hunting, woodworking, Ford Mustang convertibles, airplanes, his computer, old westerns and World War II movies along with spending time with his three grandchildren. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, always patient and always kind. His good humor and sage advice will be missed. He is survived by his daughter and son in-law, Sandy and Andrew Kennelly, of St. Maries, ID, and 3 grandchildren, Connor of Bellevue, WA, Ryan of Moscow, ID and Erin of St. Maries, ID. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, and his beloved wife, Dorothy. No services in Idaho are planned. Visitation will be at Butzin-Marchant Funeral Home in Ripon, WI from 12:00 – 2:00 PM on Saturday, April 23, 2016, with a memorial service planned at 2:00 P.M. Interment will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Ripon. You can visit his online memorial or send condolences at www.hodgefuneralhome.com and www.butzinmarchant.com.