James Clifford Lohmeier

James Clifford Lohmeier, or Jimmie as everyone but his mother called him, died on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, on a beautiful fall day in Bozeman, Montana.



Jimmie hailed from Rock Island, Illinois, but was a Montanan through and through. Born Oct. 27, 1953, and the youngest child of the late William and Verona Lohmeier, Jimmie was on a mission from the start to reap the most out of what life had to offer. He lived by one mantra from the ever-loved character Peter Pan, “I won't grow up,” because "Once you grow up, you can't come back.”



After high school, Jimmie joined the United States Army and worked his way up to Helicopter Crew Chief, which truly gave him a sense of national pride and love of country. He then attended Southern Illinois University, but the snow was calling and Jimmie wound up in Bozeman to ski and enjoy the great outdoors. In Bozeman he met his wife Maureen and they were married in 1983. Together they raised three children, Jessica, Emily, and Brandon, who were all in tow for adventuring or to help with any and all odd jobs at work. They learned to work hard and play even harder from their father, but also to follow their dreams.



An avid golfer, fisherman, and fun-loving man, Jimmie spent a lot of his time at Lake Sakakawea with Dave Kraft and golfing at Cottonwood Golf Course with Paul Shennum. He also spent time restoring his 1945 Ford truck to it's original glory, and took great joy in fixing, building, gardening, and trying new recipes in the kitchen. He was never without a smile and always scheming up something new. Jimmie always had a story and it was rare he wasn't chatting someone up or making new friends. His happiness was contagious and easily his best of many admirable qualities.



Though Jimmie's life was marked with fun, he was one of the hardest workers and an entrepreneur. He started a paving and contracting company which he ran and owned for 15 years, and was the original “big boy” when he started Big Boys Toys - which fueled his outdoor spirit and had the whole family working together. He then worked for a decade with U1 Gaming as the production manager where he retired in January of this year. He worked hard to support his family and give them every opportunity they could ever want while maintaining a fun and positive attitude.



He never sacrificed his values for anything and often stood up for what was right rather than what was easy in both his personal and professional life. Nearly everything he did was done for others and he will be dearly missed by many. We are all better people for having known him and we will forever be able to find him in our hearts and just beyond "the second star on the right, and straight of ‘till morning."



Jimmie is survived by his wife, Maureen, and three children, Jessica, Emily, and Brandon of Bozeman. He is also survived by his three siblings: his sister Margaret “Peggy” Hart of Joliet, Illinois and brothers Stanley “Stan” Lohmeier and Robert “Bob” Lohmeier of Rock Island, Illinois.



The family would like to extend a special thank you to our families and friends who have been incredibly supportive during this difficult time, especially to Paul Shennum and Dave Kraft who were by his side until the very end. They would also like to thank Bozeman Health for their care and efforts to keep Jimmie as comfortable and cared for as possible in the previous weeks, and Teresa Ax for her help in planning and hosting his celebration of life.



Jimmie will be buried during a private family service at Sunset Hills Cemetery on Wednesday, Oct. 5 with a Memorial Service to follow at 1:30 p.m. at the Rockin' TJ Ranch (located at 651 Lynx Lane) where any and all are invited to share stories and celebrate the incredible life of Jimmie Lohmeier. Arrangements are in the care of Dahl Funeral and Cremation Services.