James Richard Boatman

James Richard “Jim / Red / Dad / G Pa / Uncle Huey” Boatman, age 91, passed away after a brief and unwelcome battle with lung cancer — a sharp contrast to the nine decades of perfect health he enjoyed prior. Born July 9, 1935, in Stillwater, Minnesota, to James and Marie Boatman, James lived a full, colorful, and well loved life.

James and his sister, Mary Jean, grew up in Nordeast Minneapolis. In 1953, handsome, red headed James, cleverly nicknamed Red, graduated from Edison High School, where he collected a lifelong crew of friends including Bill Frane and many others. This group stayed connected for nearly 80 years, a testament to the loyalty and humor James carried through his life.

In 1954, Private Boatman enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a light truck operator at Fort Lewis, Washington. After completing his service, he returned to Minneapolis and began working at Grain Belt Brewery, where he added even more friends to his ever growing circle and continued enthusiastically misspending his youth.

Everything changed when he met Diane Bagley. From the start, it was clear they were meant for each other. They married on March 21, 1964, and together with Diane’s son Dean, soon welcomed daughter Amy, completing the family.

Because Diane had wanderlust and James was a good sport, the family moved often in those early years. They spent a couple years in Anoka, MN, working on their hundred year old fixer-upper. From there, they moved to Elk River, and then to Ortonville, where the Boatmans became motel magnates as the proud owner operators of the Sunrise Motel. The motel quickly became a main character in their lives. James worked at the local social services office while Diane managed the motel, and James spent endless hours painting, repairing, and keeping the 17 unit operation running.

After living that adventure to the fullest, the Boatmans headed west: first Denver, then Idaho Falls, and finally Boise. James worked as a correctional officer for the Idaho Department of Correction before finding his true professional home at the Idaho Department of Agriculture. There he formed friendships with Lane and JoAnn, Marvin, and so many others. These people became integral to his professional and personal life for the next five decades. He retired from “The Department” in 1999 and embraced retirement with gusto.

Jim spent thousands of hours golfing at Centennial Golf Course with his buddies, especially Dick — the two of them swinging clubs and disagreeing about politics for years.

He loved time spent with his grandchildren Brian, Scott, Michael, and Andrea, and particularly cherished family vacations to the Oregon Coast. G-Pa was a good sport about the compulsory tie dye T shirt tradition and gamely wore his creations out in public, including at the Pelican Pub, where we would arrive en masse in our ridiculous shirts and he’d tell the servers, dryly, “We’re together.”

Another one of his favorite traditions was the annual trek to Lake of the Woods. For a week each year, Uncle Huey went fishing with his Godson, Chad, slaying fish, telling tales, and creating lasting memories. Those trips were pure joy.

Whoever he was to you — James, Jim, Dad, G Pa, Red, Uncle Huey — he was always ready with a quip, a salty, subtle observation, a wise nugget of advice, and a gentle presence.

James was preceded in death by his parents, James and Marie, and his sister, Mary Jean. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Diane; daughter Amy Jordan & Charlie Spencer; son Dean & Leslie Bagley; grandchildren Brian Bagley & Ivy Reynolds, Scott & Kristina Waldram, Michael Bagley & Kelly Bourgon, and Andrea & Connor Finney; great grandchildren Decklin, Xander, Malachai, and Griffin; his favorite nieces Carol Righetti and Gail Stocker; and his Godson Chad Frane.

His life was full. His presence was steady. His humor was sharp. And his love was constant.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm, on Monday, October 5, 2026, at Bowman Funeral Parlor, 10254 W. Carlton Bay Dr. in Garden City.

Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.