James B. Prim, 91, passed away on May 27, 2012 after collapsing in his home of natural causes. He leaves behind the love of his life, Mabel, wife of 51 lovely years.
James and his twin sister, Jeanette, were born in Menomonie, Wisconsin to Otto and Mary “Maria” (Panch) Prim on Dec. 12, 1920. He was one of twelve children. After high school Jim got his bachelor’s degree at Stout State in Menomonie, then entered WWII as a U.S. Marine in the South Pacific. Later he worked for Gambles stores, then Butler Brothers as a zone manager for Ben Franklin stores. He married Mabel Fry in 1961, and they owned and operated the Ben Franklin store in Plentywood until 1979. He and Mabel also owned the Great Falls and Malta Ben Franklins. They moved to Helena in 1979.
Jim lived for his wife, kids, and grandkids. His wise, kind, and positive outlook on life influenced family and friends deeply. He was an honorable man, a beloved man, and we will miss him profoundly.
Jim walked four miles every day with his dog, Polly, until recent years. He played tennis into his 80’s. Jim loved fly fishing and fishing with his Plentywood buddies at Lake LaRonge, Canada. His children remember wonderful long camping trips every summer, pulling the trailer to Wyoming mountains, Colorado, Wisconsin, the west coast. He’d go anywhere and do anything for his kids! In spite of many medical challenges in recent years, Jim and Mabel have been able to remain in their own home with the care of their loving son, Bob.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Jeanette (Ken) Drake, Norma Bisson Verlinden, Ruth Neverdahl, Mary Scheel, and brothers Louis, Bob and Paul Prim, and two infant brothers.
He is survived by his wife Mabel; children, Robert Fry, Cindy (Mark) Leyba, and Tanya Tobiason Fiske; siblings, Audrey (LaVerne) Graske and Otto (Jane) Prim. Also surviving are his grieving grandchildren; Dan, Lana, Trisha, Taylor Tobiason; Greg, Alex, Eric Leyba; Bryan (Katy) Fry, Brent Fry and Becky (Drew) Fry Abrams; and eight great grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place. A celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 16, 2012 at Our Redeemers Lutheran Church, 1400 Stuart St., with a reception to follow the service. Interment will be held at a later date. Memorials may be sent in Jim’s memory to the Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church Building Fund, 1400 Stuart St. Helena MT 59601 or to Alzheimer’s Research, PO Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011. To offer a condolence or share a memory of Jim, please visit: www.retzfuneralhome.com.
Service Schedule
Service Schedule
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Ann Nickel says
Cindy and family,
Sending prayers your way with the loss of your father.
Many years have passed since we became friends and lost touch with each other, but I remember you taking me to your home and meeting your Mom and Dad, two very special people.
Ann
Sue and Steve Parrish family says
Uncle Jim held a very special place in our hearts. Any visit to him and Mable included an offer of something to eat while we were there. We would rarely leave with out some cookies or chocolate in our hands when we left. He would constantly tease us. He was genuinely interested in what was going on in our lives. We will miss him greatly.
MARK LEYBA says
I was very fortunate to have had Jim for my Father-in-law. He was always there to lend an ear to my thoughts, dreams and ideas regarding Cindy and I raising three sons. He and Mabel have been so kind and generous to our family for so many years. I will miss his humor, advice, and friendship that we had. He was one in a million. Till we meet again, thanks so much Jim.
Susan Owens says
When I saw Jim’s obituary, I just didn’t think it could be possible. It seems like just the other day I was sitting in the bleachers with Jim and his daughter Tanya watching the Tobiason kids participate in athletics and other events. I remember when Trisha was performing with a dance team at Carroll College and pulled her grandpa from the bleachers down to the floor to do the chicken dance. He loved every minute of it! Jim was such a sharp wit; and he had an incredible sense of humor. My most prominent memory of him was how proud he was of his daughter and his grandchildren. He had such a loving approach with all of them and they with Jim. I know the Tobiason children are very close to their grandparents and will miss him deeply. My condolences to you Tanya, your children and Mabel. May God’s love give you strength in your time of sorrow.
Kim Hamon says
Uncle Jim was such a very special, kind, wise man. I will always remember his softspoken words and impish glint in his eye while chuckling softly. My sister Shawna and I were fortunate enough to spend a summer with the Prims on a camping trip to WI. Such wonderful memories.
Uncle Jim is now in the arms of Jesus and all of those he loves who have gone before him. He will be greatly missed!
Bob Fry says
Dad,
As your son, I feel you must have been the dIvine mold God used to create the perfect Dad. I miss and love you so much.
Your son,
Bob
Eldon Teel says
Seems every time we went to Havre, Mabel and Jim would drop by. Always going somewhere or coming from somewhere, sometimes both. I’ll always remember him for his loving kindness, especially where Aunt Mabel was concerned. Thanks,so much, Uncle Jim.
John H. and Lynn Prim says
Sorry to hear of Uncle Jim’s passing. We have many fond memories of him.
Jon Stoner says
Jim was a wonderful man. Terrfic role model. He was so calm patient and understanding. I remember many trips to Ben Franklin to line up tennis matches, loved playing him. He taught us to sail and a lot of great life lessons. It was an honor to know him. My sympathies to the family.
Becky Weatherwax says
To know our Uncle (or Great Uncle) Jim was to love him. He will be so missed by his family and the tribute written about him was wonderful, as he was..
My children and I LOVED his WONDERFUL, dry sense of humor. He could turn any situation into a positive one.. In that, he made have had NO equal..
He was truly one of the most FUN, giving, positive, GREAT men that I have ever known and I am honored that he was in my life! He was truly one of my life’s GREATEST GIFTS!! I just love that guy!!
My heart just goes out to my DEAR Auntie Mabel, my cousins, their children and the great grandchildren.. He will be so missed. What a truly awesome Guy!! God is lucky to have him!! But, we will always miss him!
His niece, Becky Peters Weatherwax
Angie (Bedwell) Beck says
It is very clear that Jim Prim was loved by all. So very sorry to hear of his passing.
When I was a young kid in Plentywood Jim, Mabel and kids lived close by. I remember thinking how lucky the girls were to have him as a kind, loving and patient father. I used to ring the doorbell to go visit often. I even remember Jim teaching me to tie my shoes. It is a very sad day. I loved him very much and thought of him many times through the years.
Judy Ireland says
Cindy and family, Your dad sounds like a very special man. How lucky you were to have him for so many years! God bless and keep you all in this very sad time. Millard and Judy Ireland
Brett and Terri Wall says
Our loss, heaven’s gain. We’ll truly miss our neighbor Jim. He would stand on his deck, admire our backyard and we’d talk about everything! God bless our memories.
Mike & Edna Buechler says
Mabel & family, Our thoughts and prayers are with you in the loss of Jim. I remember him as such a kind man and how he always talked about his family with great love. We got to know Jim and Mabel through the Ben Franklin stores and I remember the last time that I saw him in the Ben Franklin store in Great Falls. We enjoyed the few times that they stopped in Conrad.
Linda Paulsen says
Jim was a wonderful man.
I was his neighbor for 7-8 years and he was the best. Always ready to help and share anything he had to get the job done.
I will always remember the treats that he and Mable would share with Tracey and I at their house. He was a very generous and kind man. He was the best!
Allyn Ann Bernau Cummins says
Jim was the kindest, nicest man. I used to see him walking his dog Polly and they loved seeing my crazy dogs! I don’t think Mom (Opal Bernau) ever went to Plentywood without stopping at the Ben Franklin. My sympathy to Mabel and family members. God Speed…
Judi Allen says
I am so sorry to hear about Jim’s passing. To know Jim Prim was to immediately love him. I have never met a man as kind as he was to his children, grandkids, animals, and strangers.
My condolences to all the family members but particularly to all the Tobiason grandkids and great grandkids. I know you all must be feeling such a huge loss with your grandfather gone. He was so proud of all of you. Tanya, my heart goes out to you too. I will always remember the kindness your dad showed me.
The world is not as bright without Jim Prim.
God Bless Mabel too.
Judi
Art and Sara Harada says
Cindy and Mark,
We were so sorry to hear about your father. We are so glad that you got to spend much time with him these last couple of years. He sounds like a very nice man who enjoyed his life to the fullest! I’m sure you have very special memories of your family time both as a child and an adult. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Dick and Song Yon Bratton says
A terrific man and a great friend! We will miss you, Jim. We send our love and prayers to Mabel and the family.
Gary, Kathleen Wagnild says
Dear Mabel and family
We were so surprised to hear of Jim’s passing, he will truly be missed by his family and anyone who new him he was a great man.
I’m sure he and Clarence will have a lot of catching up to do. Gary will have great memories of all the fishing trips, and of his Sunday School Years.
I will never forget when I went to Jim and asked him all kinds of questions when I started the Flower Shack, he was so brilliant when it came to business, such a soft spoken, humble and great guy. I’m sure when he was upset or angry you probably knew just by the “Look”.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all, May God hold you all in the palm of his hand during this time.
Gary and Kathleen Wagnild
Cindy Prim Leyba says
I am the oldest daughter of Jim. I wish every girl could grow up with the kind of father I had. He made us girls, Tanya and I, feel like princesses! We were so loved!I remember being so lonely when first away at college, and he’d send me letters several times a week with cowboy hatted stickmen drawn on the bottom to make me laugh! Growing up, on his only day off each week, he’d take the whole family plus our friends out exploring the hills and coulees, or riding our little motorcycles, his only day off was always for FAMILY! Once a month he’d take us all the way to Glasgow to mow Grandma Fry’s lawn and run errands for her, she loved him like he was her son! What an extraordinary man my dad was! Always patient, always kind the rock we all leaned on. Our soft place to fall. Oh, I will miss you, Dad!
Kim Holt Cox says
Mabel, Cindy and Tanya I am so sorry to hear about Jim’s passing. The memories I have of him at the Ben Franklin when Aunt Emma worked there! He always had a sparkle in his eye that was just a little mischievious! He was a role model for so many, including myself, and such a wonderful man! Praying for your family.
Carol Allison says
What special memories I have of Uncle Jim and how patient he was teaching me to fish in yellowstone! Many years of wonderful times-he even saved my life once!! I love you Uncle Jim. Love and prayers to Aunt Mable and family!
Wayne Drake says
I’ll greatly miss Uncle Jim, he was and continues to be my most favorite tennis opponent and doubles partner. I have known Uncle Jim for most of life and have found him to be a very caring and considerate Man. I am including a couple of my memories that I hope you find interesting.
I remember when he bought me my first car. It was a small, sporty baby blue convertible. It was purchased shortly after I returned home after a long stay in the hospital for polio. I would peddle it all over the the house and neighborhood helping me regain my leg strength.
I also remember going to Boycevile fishing with him when he had the emergency brake on all the way to HWY 79. We stopped at the store and he bought me a pop and candy bar while we waited for the brakes to cool off.
There was also Brutus the black Great Dane that Clayton Clark used to pull a wagon and help in his large garden on 2nd Street.
I can also remember his joy and laughter after defeating me during our Tennis Matches. The matches were always close, but he always found a way to win. I believe he enjoyed ribbing me more than winning. We also teamed up a couple of times to soundly defeating a couple of much younger players, when he was in his 70’s and I was in my 50’s.
I’ll never forget him and all the things he did for me.
Alex Tommerup says
Thank you Prims for everything you did for me and my family. Thank you for your love. Jim was definitely a special person, as the whole family is! So sorry that i missed paying my respects to the family. I miss the years between visits and it had been way too long! I remember the time when my dad was dying of cancer and i got to stay with you all while mom and dad were gone. The introduction to Coco Wheats was just one of the special things. But the love and warmth that Jim, Mabel, Cindy & Tanya showed was heaven sent. Helped steer my course in the right direction! Love you all!
God bless you all as i know He has! Looking forward to seeing Jim and all of you again soon.
Karin Krueger says
Hello, I am a distant cousin, and I found this while seeking information about our mutual relatives, Gotfried and Charlotte Cohen Steinbring (my 3X great grandparents). Maybe someone in your part of the family has some information to share about them? My condolences on your father and grandfather, he sounds like a wonderful person.