James Edwin Van Horn

On Thursday, October 20, James (“Jim”) Edwin Van Horn, a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, passed away at the age of eighty-one. Born to James Norman and Francis Louise Van Horn (Adams), Jim graduated from Roosevelt High School in Portland, Oregon and attended classes at Portland State University. He worked for and eventually took ownership of Cann & Gray Lath and Plastering (“Cann & Gray”), the business previously owned by Fred Smethurst, the father of his devoted wife of sixty-two years, Margery (“Marge”). Jim worked as Vice President and lead estimator for Fred Shearer & Sons not long after closing Cann & Gray in the mid-80’s and until his retirement in 2007. Jim is survived by his two sisters, Joan and Mary; his wife Marge; four children, Susan Pilcher (Scott), Lisa Crompton (Mark), Jim Van Horn (Leanne), Jason Van Horn (Shannon); eight grandchildren, Kevin Pilcher (Dina), Sean Crompton (Sara), Patrick Crompton, Aaron Pilcher, Jake Van Horn, Owen Van Horn, Kara Van Horn, Ryan Van Horn; and two great-grandchildren, Audi and Dino.

Jim and Marge are longtime members of the Portland Yacht Club (“PYC”), where Jim crewed on sailboats for many years, Hasty for Duane Vergeer and Kehei for Buz Allison. Jim eventually purchased and captained the sailboat Footloose, which allowed the family to go on PYC cruises and to be his sailing crew. Jim was Commodore of PYC in 1982. He was also the president of the NW Lath and Plaster Bureau and served in leadership for other trade-related organizations. Jim and Marge became members of St. Luke Lutheran Church in 1969 and during retirement Jim was often found helping out with the church’s Community Table food drives and other benevolence work. Jim was always devoted to family throughout his life, including so many friends that he considered family, and we know he will be looking out for and protecting family and friends forever from above, inspiring the inscription for his headstone, “family always and forever”.

A memorial service for Jim will be held at St. Luke Lutheran Church on Sunday, November 20, at 3:00pm. You are also invited to gather in the church narthex beginning at 2:00pm to visit and reflect. There will be a reception following the service in the church’s downstairs Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, remembrances, memorials and donations should be directed towards the Alzheimer’s Association (or charity of your choosing) in the hopes of a cure for the disease that knocked Jim down, but couldn’t take away his belief that you should always run hard through the finish line.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.skylinememorialgardens.com for the Van Horn family.