James Harrison Hilt Sr., 82, of Old Mission passed away Wednesday, May 20 of heart failure. Jim was born in Detroit on Dec. 16, 1937, son of the late George Ferdinand and Marian (Leighton) Happel from Poe Valley, Virginia and Old Mission respectively.

Jim attended school in Lake Worth, Florida, where he was a member of the marching band and swim team. Graduating high school he attended Auburn University studying electrical engineering.

In 1959 Jim met the love of his life, Carlene (Piatt, Maxwell) and on Jan. 22, 1961 they married in Bluefield, Virginia. Together they built a life of love and marriage that spanned 60 years, five children, several moves and countless close friends.

Retiring in 1996 after a career with Kmart Corp. that included eight years posted to the international headquarters, Jim returned to his roots settling in the family home on Old Mission peninsula where he enjoyed his bliss that was his wife, family, friends and community. Jim and Carlene are members of the First Congregational Church.

Jim was born with a genuine love for life that he never lost, he loved the sound of his mother's laughter and playing games with his brothers. He enjoyed his summers growing up working his grandfather's farm and cherished those memories with his cousins.

His life and marriage were built on a foundation of strong faith in Jesus Christ, serving the Lord leading worship services as Sunday school teacher, Deacon and with the Gideons. He invested his love and joy into his own family where he is remembered as the husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather full of laughter, supreme dad jokes and masterful pranks.

He was never far from Carlene's side, his main source of enjoyment was doting on her and seeing to her needs. Their life together was among the many inspirations they provided to their kids, grandkids, great-grandkids and friends.

From his roots and into his community Jim never knew a stranger, quick with a smile and a handshake he was a friend to everyone he met, offering help in any way. He never left a friend in need and everyone he met left his presence a little lighter for it.

Jim was a true patriarch to his family, who loved to reminisce a man with a true moral compass tempered by compassion, full of wisdom and bound by love for family, friend and neighbor. He will rest eternally in the Ogdensburg Cemetery to the ground that he loved so dearly. We are eternally grateful for his presence in our lives, he will be greatly missed.

A memorial service will be scheduled in the summer when friends and family can more safely meet to celebrate his life and legacy.

He is survived by his wife, Velma Carlene Hilt, of Old Mission; his brother, Richard (Sandra) Hilt, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; children; Robert (Virginia) Maxwell, of Blacksburg, Virginia, Don Randal, of Old Mission, Marian (Mark) Wood, of Cedar Springs, James (Julie) Hilt II, of Gaylord, Allison (Steve) Cline, of Allen Park; grandchildren; Steven Cline, of Allen Park, Nathan (Bree) Maxwell, of Phoenix, Arizona, Ray (Angela) Cline, of Allen Park, Mitch (Carley) Bearden, of Gouverneur, New York, Cheyenne Hilt, of Gaylord, Rachel Wood, of Southhaven, Minnesota, Elise (Jeff) Sanford, of Cedar Springs, James Hilt III, of Gaylord, Sierra Hilt, of Petoskey, Brittany (Justin) Rondo, of Johannesburg. There are 12 and three quarters great-grandchildren.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; George F Hilt; step-father, Albert Happel and Marian (Leighton) Happel; his brother, William C Hilt; and grandson, Ezra Maxwell.

Please share a memory with James family by visiting his tribute page at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com.

The Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services are serving the family.