Services held at St. Lukes United Methodist Church on Saturday March 22, 2014 at 2:00 PM

Interment: Services will be held at LLano Cemetery in Amarillo, Texas at 1:00 PM on Monday March 24, 2014 in the mausoleum.

Our beloved husband and father, James (Jim) Gulf Blasdel, passed away in Oklahoma City, surrounded by his family, on March 16, 2014, four days short of his 93rd birthday.

Jim was born in Amarillo, Texas, the youngest of five children, to Eugene and Kathleen Blasdel. He is survived by his wife, Betty Blasdel, and three daughters, Cheryl Blasdel of Grand Prairie, TX, Kathy Blasdel Cohoon (Steve) of Buffalo, WY, and Ann Blasdel (Randy Larkin) of Austin, TX, and nine grandchildren, Hannah, Caleb, Joshua, Timothy, Tabitha, and Ian Cohoon, and Alyssa, Alex, and Lila Kirkendall as well as 13 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers L. Sherwood Blasdel, Henry George Blasdel and Eugene Blasdel and sister Patricia Blasdel Chapman.

Jim graduated from Amarillo High School in 1939, then attended Texas A&M during 1939-40 and later the University of Colorado. He then transferred to Stanford University where he spent three years and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Food Research in 1943. He participated in the ROTC program throughout high school and college.

During the war years, he operated a dairy farm in Wheeler, TX that supplied milk to a nearby military base for the duration of the war. In 1951, he returned to the University of Colorado where he met Betty at a square dance and received his Masters Degree in Accounting. He passed his CPA exam in 1953, then returned to Amarillo to work in the family business. In 1954, Jim moved to Oklahoma City to manage the Crown Motel, which had been purchased by the Blasdel family business. He re-connected with Betty that same year and they were married on December 22, 1956.

Jim and Betty began their life together at the motel where they lived for ten years. During that time, their three daughters were born. Jim's hands-on management style revived the motel and turned it into a thriving business. Many lasting friendships were formed during those years. Over time, Jim converted 3/4 of the motel to apartments and built a big swimming pool. He also expanded the business by building a number of rental houses and various commercial facilities.

Jim was an astute businessman who excelled at financial planning. He had a strong understanding of history and economics and how they applied to current business and political conditions. He was level headed, practical and calm in any crisis. He made wise decisions with a view to the future and worked hard to ensure his family's security.

To accommodate their growing family, Jim and Betty built a home on a nearby property in 1967. Using the maintenance skills he had developed in the motel, Jim did much of the work himself. He had a unique ability to figure out practical solutions to various problems, whether it was carpentry, plumbing, electrical or anything else related to building. Jim operated the motel and various rental properties for about 35 years. When times changed and he was ready to close the business, he took great pleasure in the demolition of the motel property, operating a backhoe, front end loader and dump truck himself.

Jim loved to travel and traveled extensively throughout his life. He took the family on many interesting trips, both foreign and domestic. He continued to dream about exotic trips until the end of his life.

He had a special understanding and compassion for animals and had many entertaining animal stories. Memorable pets included his collie Roxie, a shepherd named Kimo and a particularly challenging buffalo named Cuddles.

He also enjoyed boating and was still able to water ski at the age of 80. He was a lifetime Girl Scout and taught many Girl Scouts to water ski. He chaperoned many Girl Scout camping trips and other Scouting activities. While at school in Colorado, he was an avid mountain climber and earned a non-academic "Doctorate of Mountain Climbing" degree. Jim loved to swim and kept an active membership at the YMCA until his mid-80s. He was a past board chairman of the YMCA in Moore and a past member of the Moore Chamber of Commerce.

Jim was a very active member of the Kiwanis Club for more than 50 years. He served as President of his club several times and as Lieutenant Governor in 1982. He was a lifetime member and also Kiwanian of the Year in 2009-10. He was on the Board of the OKC Chamber of Commerce and went on several annual trips with them throughout Oklahoma.

Jim was a devoted 50 year member of St. Luke's United Methodist Church and the Triquetra Sunday School class. He served as an usher for many years and was a board member. He was a practical Christian and routinely modeled the principles of Christian living on a regular basis.

Jim was a man of gentle dignity, unfailing integrity, intellectual curiosity and quiet philanthropy. Love and commitment to family shaped his life. We will miss his steadfast loyalty, love and devotion. He was our hero.

Visitation will be held Thursday, March 20, 2014 and Friday, March 21, 2014 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Vondel Smith Mortuary, 6934 S. Western in Oklahoma City. Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 22nd, 2014 at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 222 NW 15th Street, Oklahoma City and Monday, 1:00 p.m. in the Llano Cemetery Mausoleum, 2900 S. Hayes in Amarillo. Memorials can be made to Kiwanis International Foundation, 3636 Woodview Trace, Indianapolis, Ind. 46268 or to St. Luke's United Methodist Church Foundation, 222 NW 15th Street, Oklahoma City, 73103.