James Haefer

James Haefer

December 11, 1931 - July 24, 2025

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Obituary

James Albert Haefer, born December 11, 1931, in Great Falls, Montana, to parents Lorenzo and Viola (French) Haefer. The family lived in Lower Sun River where James attended C.M.Russell Elementary, Paris Gibson Jr. High, and Great Falls High School. After graduation he attended Montana State College in Bozeman before serving his country in the Navy during the Korean conflict. He returned to Montana with the determination to complete his education and went on to attend Valparaiso Tech School and then Oregon State, worked in industry for a while and finally returned to Oregon State for his graduate degree in Electrical Engineering. After a few moves, finding his feet as a professor, he spent many contented years at Boise State University teaching Electrical Engineering, Construction Management and Computer Architecture. He retired from Boise State University in 1997 and moved to Billings in 2000.

The last 20+ years were spent enjoying his retirement, participating in events at the Elks Club and in church and the community. Before his health began to decline, he often drove the church bus and enjoyed his membership in the Petroleum Club. He loved trains and train memorabilia, chocolate, music, antiques, history and literature, and kept up to date with the news and world affairs until the end of his life.

James was married to Ruth Robb from 1959 to 1985, and was blessed with one son, Loren Haefer, who passed away in 2024. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Don, his nephew Hal and relatives. Though his blood kin were few, he was loved and cared for by his adopted family, friends, and students, and he will be remembered and mourned by his long-time caregiver and adopted “granddaughter”, Stephanie Harlan and the Harlan family- Lisa, Anisa, Zachary, Michael, Jessica, Zoe, and Zachary Pettit.

James quietly passed in the early hours of July 24, 2025, in hospice at Laurel Health and Rehabilitation Center after a lengthy illness. We wish to thank his doctors at Billings Clinic, the VA, Riverstone Hospice and Laurel Health and Rehabilitation Center for the excellent cared and attention he received during his illness. Dahl Funeral Chapel will handle the burial arrangements, and he will be transported to Great Falls to rest near his father. No service will be held.

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Eugene Ridge
Friend •
Jim was a wonderful person with great sense of humor. He was a favorite instructor of mine at Oregon Institute of Technology - 1967-1969. His teachings were instrumental in my 45 year career in the computer industry. Thank you Jim for all the laughs, the field trips you arranged and the support at college. Thank you Stephanie for loving care of Jim.
DC
Dee Dee Chiesa
Friend •
Jim was my close neighbor for over 20 years. We shared lots of meals, the newpaper, and friendship which we both cherished.
AJ
Art Jacobsen
Friend •
Recall ‟Jim” as he was known from the then-Northern Montana College in Havre over fifty years ago (1972-74). Had first met him a year earlier during the State Fair in the old Great Falls Model RR Club @ the fairgrounds. Best-remember his recollection of visiting ‟Expo ‛67” in Montréal while living-in the Bay Area – involved an all-rail trip from and to Oakland, and both he and his wife enjoyed it thoroughly! They booked ‟first class” accommodations all-the-way, and from the July, 1967 ‟Official Guide of the Railways” their itinerary was as-follows: SP № 12 E/b ‟Cascade” Oakland (16th St. Sta.) – Portland, UP № 457 W/b ‟pool train” Portland – Seattle (Union Sta.), GN № 360 E/b ‟International” Seattle (King St. Sta.) – Vancouver, BC (CN Sta.) and overnighted in Vancouver. CP № 2 E/b ‟Canadian” Vancouver, BC (CP Sta.) – Montréal, PQ (Windsor Sta.) and spent a few days in Montréal visiting ‟Expo ‛67” there. Return began on CN № 61 ‟Rapido” W/b Montréal, PQ (Central Sta.) – Toronto, ON (CN Sta.) w/an overnight in Toronto. CN/GTW № 159 W/b ‟Maple Leaf” Toronto, ON (CN Sta.) – Chicago (Dearborn Sta.), and overnight in Chicago. CB&Q/D&RGW/WP № 17 W/b ‟California Zephyr” Chicago (Union Sta.) – Oakland (WP Sta.). A two-week trip involving seven trains over nine RR’s, and they had a bit of added excitement along the way. Riding the parlor-lounge-observation car on the rear of GN № 360 ‟International” out of Mt. Vernon, WA they were somewhat startled by an emergency brake application from the normal track-speed of 79MPH near Burlington and the conductor came running back to the rear windows. ‟Jim” happened-to glance over his shoulder just as his wife exclaimed ‟Oh my!" and saw a car tumbling end-over-end alongside the rapidly-slowing train, then heard the conductor call-into his portable 2-way radio that the vehicle landed-in the ditch. That grade-crossing accident (driver and passenger injured) caused a two-hour delay arriving-in Bellingham, where ‟Jim” had a chance to walk-up and check-out the loco’s (an E-7A) front, and was rather amazed to see very little evidence of damage (lifting-bar from the front coupler was bent somewhat).
JC
Jeanne Conner
Friend •
So glad I got to know Mr. Haefer. He was a good friend and alum of Montana State University.

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