Jim Musgrave

June 5, 1944 – Oct. 21, 2010

Born in Lebanon Hospital, Jim spent his early years in Sweet Home, Oregon. After a brief assignment in the military, Jim enrolled at Oregon College of Education (now Western Oregon University), graduated and began his teaching career in Lake Oswego. He finished his teaching at the Downtown Learning Center in Salem, where he became a headmaster.

He married Rosie Strachan in 1976 in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was a happy marriage but ended in divorce.

Jim loved nature, exploring and testing his endurance. One of the ways he tested his endurance was to run around the base of Mt. Hood – 37 miles. He joined a team of runners who ran for distance in a 24-hour race. He also ran many other distance races.

Jim finished fourth in the nation in the small college championships. He tested himself by hiking to Pamelia Lake in the winter. He liked to spend two to five days in a snow cave, usually over New Year’s. He loved to explore Central Oregon caves and hot springs with his dog Haggis, and found many Native American artifacts.

Jim’s second passion was travel. He visited 54 countries and twice rode the train from the eastern coast of Russia in mid-winter. He walked Hadrian’s Wall twice. He visited Africa and saw the gem and diamond mines. He was glad to get out of Africa. He visited every state in the nation.

He was happy in his “Palace”

along the Santiam River with his cats and dogs.

Now he is on another adventure somewhere else. You may catch a glimpse of him sitting on a bluff along the side of the road in Sweet Home, smiling and waving to cars coming into town.

He is survived by his brother, Pete; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and his companion, Lori.

Jim will be missed by all who knew him.

A memorial service and celebration of life is pending.

Information will be published in The New Era when arrangements are completed.

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