James “Jim” Richard Langley from Great Falls passed on Sunday, May 14th at the age of 89. Jim was born June 2nd, 1933. He spent his early years in Sand Coulee and Vaughn, and spent his entire adult life in Great Falls, MT.
Jim was a consummate entrepreneur and traded his half share in a horse he and his brother Bill owned for Bill’s half share in a bicycle so that he could ride into town and find odd jobs to make money. He used that bike to become a delivery boy for Murray Brothers in Great Falls. Besides earning money, Jim’s favorite hobby when he was young, was boxing, wrestling and lifting weights at the DeMolay.
At the age of 17, Jim gave his car to his brother Bill and joined the Marine Corps, became a Private First Class, earned his sharpshooter medal and fought in the Korean war. Jim was a proud veteran of the Marine Corps.
Upon his return from Korea, Jim became a journeyman meat cutter and started work at the White House Meat Market. Later, Jim bought out the meat counter at Al’s Foods and ran his meat cutting business. After Al’s closed, Jim was a meat cutter at the Westgate Buttrey Foods for many years while continuing his entrepreneurial endeavors.
Jim married Joy on June 26th, 1960, and continued his pursuit of entrepreneurship, buying multiple rental properties, Big Sky Trailer Court, and started Big Sky Furniture Sales, Big Sky Mini-Storage, and Big Sky Toppers. Jim took every opportunity to provide work and odd jobs for young men who needed work, paying them fairly and assisting them in business and in life.
Jim and Joy had two daughters of whom he was very proud, Stephanie Langley McPhail, (Bill McPhail) and Susan Langley, (Mark Zimmerer) both of Boise, ID. Jim often bragged about his daughters saying that he raised two of the smartest people on earth. Jim adored his three grandchildren, Colton McPhail, Madison McPhail and Tenje Zimmerer.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, click here to visit the Croxford Funeral Home website.
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