James Stanley Westrom

James "Jim" Stanley Westrom of Skanee, Michigan died on March 4, 2026 at the age of 94.

He was born on November 20, 1931 at his maternal grandparents homestead (Levion Tollefson) on Bay Shore Road in L'Anse, Michigan to parents Clara Marie Westrom (Tollefson) and Verner Theodore Westrom, both residents of Skanee, Michigan.

Jim was the oldest of three children and grew up on an original Skanee homestead on Westrom Road. He is the great-grandson of Skanee pioneers Anders and Charlotte Westrom.

He attended Arvon schools and L'Anse High School before joining the United States Army at age 17.

After completing his military service Jim worked as a machinist in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he met his future wife, Jeanne Kathryn Watters of L'Anse. The two formed a romantic relationship over their mutual love of their true home in the Upper Peninsula as Jim drove Jean back and forth between Minneapolis and Baraga County.

Jim and Jean were married on November 9, 1956 and, at Jean's adventurous insistence, the two drove Jim's Ford convertible to San Diego, California where they lived for over 20 years and had all eight of their children.

Jim became a Numerical Control programmer and the family moved to Texas in 1976. Jim retired with his wife Jean to their home of Skanee, Michigan at the age of 57 in 1988.

Jim loved his sawmill and woodworking. He will be remembered for his cabin parties at the traditional homestead cabin he built on his land with the open invitation on the door, "5pm on Friday. Be there!"

He was preceded in death by his wife Jeanne Kathryn (Watters) Westrom, son James Michael Westrom, sister Naomi Collins, and parents, Verner Theodore Westrom and Clara Marie (Tollefson) Westrom.

He is survived by 7 of his 8 children, Joeyclaire Jean Watters, Jeanne Giles, Jacquelyn Westrom, Joel Westrom, Jennifer Westrom, Jon Westrom (Tracy), and Josh Westrom (Erin), his sister Carma Coon, and "more grandchildren than I can count!"

A service will be held this summer in Skanee, Michigan in cooperation with the Arvon Historical Society. (Date to be determined.)

The family expresses their sincere gratitude for the ongoing support of the community for Jim in his final years.