Obituary of James Walter Spelman

James “Jim” Spelman, 83, died unexpectedly in his sleep from natural causes on Friday, August 29, 2014 in the Wellshire Skilled Nursing Unit of Balfour Retirement Community in Louisville. A memorial service is on Saturday, September 6, 2014, at 10:00 a.m., in the chapel at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1419 Pine St., Boulder. A reception will be held at the church immediately following the service. A private family graveside service will be held at Green Mountain Cemetery, Boulder. James Walter Spelman, son of Dr. Arch. E. Spelman and Esther Pauley Spelman was born in Halstead, Kansas on April 16, 1931. Smithville, Missouri, however, where his father established his medical practice became Jim’s hometown. Jim developed an attachment to the west during WWII, when with his mother, and sisters he lived in Basin, Wyoming with his maternal grandparents while Dr. Spelman served in the Army overseas. Back in post war Smithville, Jim was an eagle scout, a member of the volunteer fire department, and a quarter miler medalist on the High School track team. After graduation, Jim studied at William Jewell College where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, and relished his roles in two of Shakespeare’s plays. He later transferred to the University of Montana in Missoula where he met and married Marlyn Kelly of that city in 1953. After two years in the army he finished his BA and went on to the University of Kansas Law School and a position as research clerk for the justices of the Kansas Supreme Court. In 1960 the Spelmans chose Boulder as a home located between their respective families in Montana and Missouri. Jim became an Assistant City Attorney in Denver which eventually took him to Stapleton International Airport as associate Counsel. He undertook accreditation of the American Association of Airport Executives and was chosen as Airport Manager of Walker Field in Grand Junction in 1975. Among his duties there he especially enjoyed plowing snowy runways at 6 a.m., driving the airport fire truck occasionally, and meeting President Gerald Ford and family enroute to ski Vail. The Vail Airport runways could not accommodate Air Force One, so it remained at Walker Field and its pilots were Jim’s and Marlyn’s Thanksgiving dinner guests. Before retiring, Jim returned to the law courts as a Deputy District Attorney for Mesa County. After the Spelmans in 1996 returned to live in Boulder, Jim resumed his favorite activity - flying his glider. He had been an early member of the Boulder Soaring Society and in 2006 he received the honor of being the third recipient of lifetime membership. Friends and family remember Jim engaging in many interests: falconer, science buff, Indian cuisine chef, 10K race runner, Biblical history student, and classical music host on Grand Junction Public Radio. An opera fan, he was a member of both the Boulder Opera Buffs and the Denver Chapter of ESU for which he served a term as president. Upon his death he leaves his wife, Maryln of 61 years, son Bruce, daughter-in-law Barbara, sister Margaret Stevens, grandson Archer, two nieces, two nephews, and his cherished Westie Cecily. Contributions: The family suggests a donation to help restore an injured eagle or hawk at the Birds of Prey Foundation, 2290 South 104th St., Broomfield, CO 80020