James Blaine (Jr) Frazier

Born July 18, 1930 in Yakima, Washington. Died February 23, 2024 in Boise, Idaho. Son of James (Pop) Blaine Frazier Sr. and Minnie Hess Frazier.

Jim was raised during the depression in the Yakima Valley, learning to drive taking the produce to market. He grew up listening to radio shows and working with his father in the family orchard. In 1949 he graduated from Naches Valley High School in Naches, Washington. He then obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa. Jim was very athletic and participated in high school and collegiate sports. His main focus was track as a sprinter. He was a lifelong athlete and in his 70s ran in the National Association of Senior Games.

Jim remembered WWII as a teenager and the warnings of the Japanese fire ballons from the submarines on the West Coast. He also recalled his teachers telling him not to pick up any suspicious items and not to reveal any information to the media.

Always fascinated by airplanes, he joined the Idaho Air National Guard and graduated from pilot training in 1953. He received the combat readiness medal in 1965 and was discharged as a major in the Air Force Reserves in 1968.

Jim started his work life as a schoolteacher and coach in Boise and then McCall. Seeking a better life for his family, Jim went to work for West Coast Airlines in October of 1957 and remained with the organization as it transitioned to Air West, Hughes Air West, Republic, and finally Northwest Airlines. He retired as a commercial airline captain in 1990 after 33 years of successful flying. He survived various incidents including lightning strikes and a complete engine failure. To remember it by, he had a piece of the turbine engine that came apart in flight. He also had to land a jet not knowing if the landing gear was down and locked (it was).

Jim married Janice Ahrens in 1960 and adopted her two sons, Rodney and Rex. Jan passed away in 2017 after a brief illness. They spent many years together travelling the United States in their Airstream motor home, playing tennis, and actively walking with various walking groups.

Jim is predeceased by his wife, parents, two sisters and one granddaughter. He is survived by his six children: Jeffrey B. Frazier (Claudia), Rodney Frazier, Susan Allen (Dennis), Linda Walker (Don), Rex Frazier and Lisa Troxel (Steve), 16 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.

Graveside services will be held at Dry Creek Cemetery on March 5th at 1 pm.