Kennewick kiwanis past club presidents

There will be a celebration of his life at the Kennewick First Presbyterian Church, 2001 W. Kennewick Avenue, at 2:00 PM on Friday, November 9th. A Visitation will be held on Thursday evening, Nov. 8, between 5 and 8 PM, at Mueller’s Tri-City Funeral Home, 1401 South Union Street.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Jim’s name to the Kennewick Kiwanis Foundation Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 6291, Kennewick, WA 99336.
Donations may also be made in Jim’s name to the Kennewick First Presbyterian Church.

Obituary, published in the Nov.7, 2007 Tri-City Herald

JAMES JIM NELSON FRENCH, resident of Kennewick, Washington, since 1948, passed away on November 5th, 2007 in Everett, WA at the age of 85. Jim was born on July 17th, 1922 to parents James Arthur French and Alice Vera Nelson French of Cashmere, WA.

Jim graduated from Cashmere High School in 1940, voted Most Outstanding Senior and lettered in football. He then attended the University of Washington where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, served in student government, and earned a degree in Business Administration. As part of the Navy V-7 college program he was sent to Columbia University Midshipmen School and was commissioned an Ensign. His next orders were for sonar school in Florida where he met his future bride, Miss Kay Burritt of Miami Beach. He served aboard the USS Parle, a destroyer escort, in the South Pacific. After 14 months of sea duty the ship returned to Florida where Jim and Kay were married on November 8th, 1946.

Jim entered the insurance business working for his father-in-law’s agency in Miami Beach. In 1948 Jim and Kay decided to return to Washington and settled in Kennewick. He purchased the Yedica Insurance Agency, which was renamed James N. French Insurance and still in business today. Jim retired from the agency in 2005 just prior to his 83rd birthday. Jim led a very active community service life. He joined the Jay Cees and was named Young Man of the Year in the mid-fifties. As a longtime member of the Kennewick Kiwanis Club he served as president and was honored for a perfect attendance record of 50 years. In 1967 he was awarded the distinction of Man of the Year for his tireless community service. Jim was a lifelong Presbyterian and belonged to the First Presbyterian Church in Kennewick, where he was an Elder, Deacon and participated on various committees. He will be most remembered for his loving generosity and kind heart.

The Frenches had an active family life, enjoying together many ski trips to Sun Valley, Idaho, as well as other nearby mountains. Jim also loved golf and fishing. He was a member of the Tri-City Country Club, joining 1953 when it was only a 9-hole course. Other favorite activities included hunting, playing bridge, and dancing with Kay.

His is survived by Kay, his wife of 61 years; brother, Robert D. French (Moscow ID); children, Stephanie A. Ninaud (Emile, Seattle), Shelly V. Palmer (Orlando Fl), Kenneth J. French (Shanna, Kennewick), Rebecca N. Watt (George, Seattle); grandchildren – Jubal Luke Sather, Ian French, Kyle French, Shane French, Bryson Palmer, Alissa Palmer, Elizabeth Watt, Alice Watt; great grandchildren Zoanna, Jasmine, Zachary and Jacob French.

Jim finally met his Lord and Savior on a perfect sunny day in the Seattle area. The sky was the color of blue that he always loved when he visited, reminding him of his college days at the University of Washington. That brilliant blue color was a reflection of his own eyes onto the world around him.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Jim’s name to the Kennewick Kiwanis Foundation Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 6291, Kennewick, WA 99336.

Donations may also be made in Jim’s name to the Kennewick First Presbyterian Church.

Another story on Jim French

In 1954, when Benton County established the 417 acre Columbia Park, an existing farmstead was made available to any non-profit corporation to establish a youth camp.
Long time Kiwanian Jim French remembers the Camp Fire Girls were the first group working to establish a youth camp.
“After about three years they became aware of the size of the project and that other youth groups showed little interest, so the Camp Fire Girls organization approached the Kennewick Kiwanis Club to take it on,” French said.
He said one of the first steps was to form the Kennewick Kiwanis Foundation with the legal work done by Attorney Ken Serier, past president and later lieutenant governor. Bob Cruzen emerged as the driving force along with Serier to get a building on the property that could serve as a meeting place, clubhouse and such to any youth group that wanted to use the area. The new foundation leased some 40 acres from the Benton County Park Department and set about clearing the land and creating Camp Kiwanis, with the main component a large club building.
Both French and Dan Hurson remember work parties clearing land, tearing out old chicken wire fences and starting with the foundation for the building. It was going to turn out to be a long major construction The Kennewick Kiwanis Foundation undertook the management of Camp Kiwanis and soon the Campfire Girls, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, YMCA and other youth groups were using the facility, said French.
He said after a few years the use waned and the club’s interest waned so other Kiwanis clubs in the Tri-Cities were asked to join in to promote the facilities.
The Tri-City Camp Kiwanis Foundation was created, and together the Kiwanis clubs helped promote a $500,000 bond issue for the improvement of Columbia Park.
The Kennewick Kiwanis didn't stop with Camp Kiwanis. It turned its efforts to help build the Camp Kiwanis Youth Fishing Pond next door. It’s now known as the duck pond.
A stone marker was placed in 1976 at the pond with a plaque that says, “In recognition of those Kiwanians and contractors whose visions and efforts have made this pond a reality”. The marker was donated by McMillin Brothers Construction.
French recalls with a grin when the pond was stocked with fish ready for dedication. “The banks were lined with youngsters with baited hooks. Serier was set to give a speech, something attorneys often love to do.
“He was just getting started when one youngster’s line somehow got into the water and was immediately hit by a big hungry trout. All heck broke loose as youngsters started heaving their lines into the water. That ended Serier’s speech.”
French has the distinction of having 48 years of perfect attendance, the longest of any active member. He hasn’t missed a meeting or a makeup meeting since 1954. “I’d like to break Scotties’ (Lawrence Scott) record of 51 years.” French said. Scott, who died in 1990 managed to get 51 years of perfect attendance.
French remembers when he was first introduced to the Kiwanis in 1952. “I was being inducted along with Joe English so we sort of had a French and English day that meeting,” he joked.
When French joined he was given a plain carpenter-type apron signed by Kiwanians. Some of the signatures include Herb Malchow, longtime Kennewick fire chief; Dutch Lincoln, longtime police chief; E. S. Black, longtime school superintendent; Art Campbell, early day Columbia Drive businessman and Scott, whose record French wants to break.
At 79, French still reports to work at his insurance business and fondly recalls some of the hijinks of Kiwanis meetings past.
“I remember when the Toppenish Indian Rodeo was being promoted and several Indians maidens came to the meeting with hula hoops. There was a contest to see who could do the hula hoop the best the Kiwanians or the Indian maidens”.
Another program that sticks out is when Primo Carnera, former world heavyweight boxing champion was in the area. . Carnera won the world championship in 1933. He later went on to appear in several Hollywood movies.
“He was then on the wrestling circuit and shook my hand and I remember how big it was,” French said.
Miss Universe once was a guest speaker. Lexie Brockway Miss Universe of 1976 and a former Richland woman added a touch of glamour.