In Memoriam: Jim Lounsbury
Jim (Clutch) Lounsbury passed Jan. 19, 2024, and went with his maker to his final gold mine in the sky after battling cancer for a couple of years. Jim was born on July 11, 1945, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Fairbanks. He was a fourth-generation Fairbanksian with his dad being born in Fairbanks in 1910 and his mother arriving in Fairbanks in 1920. His working career was spent as a Teamster, finishing as a heavy equipment operator and foreman on the Dalton Highway at Coldfoot for the Department of Transportation. He also worked in the hard rock gold mine with his brother in the 1980s. This mine was developed by his father in the late 1930s on Ester Dome. While working for DOT at Coldfoot, Jim acquired property at Wiseman and started placer mining on a creek in the Wiseman area. His love for Wiseman was prevalent by the beautiful lawn that he put in at the Wiseman property and the mining museum and mining artifacts on display. He was instrumental in the formation of the farthest north American Legion Arctic Post # 9 at Wiseman and hosted the annual Fourth of July parties and music festival. Jim shared Lorna’s love of music which included playing at many Fairbanks venues, at home jam sessions and with
a group known as the Pioneer Park Pickers. Jim made his own washtub bass with a galvanized tub and a hockey stick with a parachute string.
Jim was inducted into the Fairbanks Hockey Hall of
Fame in 2009 and was a long- time supporter of hockey in the Fairbanks area. He was instrumental in the construction
and operations of the Ice Puppy Pond rink at Ice Alaska. He was also a life member at Pioneers of Alaska Igloo No. 4. He was the ultimate Mr. Santa Claus at their annual Christmas parties. He also played Santa Claus for his nieces and nephews at family Christmas parties. He is survived by his wife, Lorna Lounsbury, and his three stepchildren, Gary Lafferty (Fairbanks), Mike Lafferty (Idaho) and Dan Lafferty (Idaho); and his two brothers, Lloyd Lounsbury Jr. (Washington) and George Lounsbury (Fairbanks, Alaska). There will be a celebration of life tentatively planned at the end of May.
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