Local businessman James C. Hartford, 63, Dickinson, ND, died Saturday, August 4, 2007. James’ funeral service is at 10:30 am on Thursday, August 9, at Hillside Baptist Church, Dickinson with Pastor Karen Dvirnak. A lunch and fellowship will follow. Entombment will take place at the Dickinson Mausoleum. Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday at Ladbury Funeral Service, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Thursday.
Jim was born June 7, 1944, in Paola, KS. He married Sylvia Hutchens on May 31, 1964, in Osawatomie, KS. He earned his BS in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS. His career in the petroleum industry took them to Stillwater, OK, Lloydminster, Sask., Calgary, Alb., Ft. Collins, CO, Casper, WY, Bell Creek, MT, and Castle Rock, CO, before they settled in Dickinson in 1978.
For many years Jim and Sylvia ran EWS Well Services based in Dickinson, serving the oil field industry in North Dakota and Montana. He used his experience in ND cold weather operations to help build equipment and train teams in Alaska and Russia. Later he managed the Rocky Mountain Region for Pool Well Services, and then served as VP in charge of factory operations at TMI in Dickinson. Most recently, Jim worked as a consultant and applied his lifelong skills of managing operations and engineering on such projects as the ground support equipment for an Atlas Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and water control gates on the Dalles Dam in The Dalles, OR. He also continued to consult for clients in the oil field industry.
Jim truly loved his work and was respected by employees and co-workers as someone with high expectations but who was always willing to teach someone a new skill or put on his coveralls and help get the job done. When he wasn’t working he enjoyed spending time with his wife and family, building on his airplane, fixing cars and machinery, woodworking and reading. His family knew him to be a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was an active member of Immanuel Baptist Church who gave freely of his time and talents. His friends and neighbors remember him as a generous friend who was always willing to drop everything and lend a hand, Jim will be greatly missed.
Jim is survived by his wife, Sylvia, and children Daniel (Susan), Newcastle, WA, and Colleen, Encinata, CA; three grandchildren, Sydney, Alex and Mia; two siblings Reed (Pat) Hartford, Ft. Scott, KS, and Heidi (Dave) Kessler, Paola, KS. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, William Clayton and Gladys Dorathy (Shelden) Hartford. In lieu of flowers a memorial will be established in memory of James.
