James W. Donaldson 1945 - 2024

James W. Donaldson died from cancer December 7, 2024, at Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville, Oregon. He was 79.

Jim was well known to have a kind and gentle soul and made friends easily. After graduating in 1963 from South Salem High School, Jim attended OIT in Klamath Falls and graduated with an associate degree in 1965.

Jim went straight to work for IBM in the Silicon Valley and worked there for 30 years. He took an early retirement buyout and started working on one of his favorite dreams: becoming a paraglider pilot. Jim logged approximately 700 flights and earned the esteemed Master Paragliding Certification before finally retiring from that sport at age 70.

During his paragliding years, he was editor and publisher of Cascade Lines, a paragliding newspaper for the West Coast, winning awards for excellence.

While living in California, Jim volunteered at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. He retired to the Oregon coast, where he volunteered at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Hatfield Marine Science Center.

In 1998, he moved to Yamhill County, where he and Mary settled on their dream home in Yamhill. While living in Yamhill, Jim volunteered at Homeward Bound Pets for five years.

Jim always took his camera with him and took pictures of over 800 cats, which he later printed onto greeting cards. He would take some to the bank, to the pharmacy, to the local veterinary clinic just because it make him happy to do so, and they were always appreciated by the recipients. Jim was an avid photographer. He loved all living things, especially cats. His favorite book is "Kinship with all Living Things."

Jim and Mary spent countless hours rafting and kayaking on the Santiam, Clackamas, Willamette and Columbia rivers, to name a few.

In 2010, he started his own website business. He made many websites for local and not so local businesses before giving that up to learn how to do Giclee printing. He printed for many artists in Yamhill, Polk, and Marion counties, making many friends along the way.

Jim is survived by his wife of 26 years, Mary Barnes Bendel; son, James L. Donaldson of San Jose, California; daughter, Catherine Mason of Carlton; and numerous nieces, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Terry S. Donaldson, in 2010.

Donations may be made to the charity of your choice. Celebration of Life memorial will be announced at a later date. To leave condolences, visit www.macyandson.com.