Obituary

James Lee Scanlon, 78, died Dec. 9, 2011, in Ketchikan.

He was born Nov. 26, 1933, to Catherine and James C. Scanlon in Seattle.

He attended Seattle’s Bryant Elementary School and John Marshall Junior High School before graduating from Roosevelt High School. He also attended many advance portraiture classes taught by the Professional Photographers of America.

Mr. Scanlon joined the U.S. Air Force in 1953 and served for four years. He was trained in the Air Force in photography and camera repair, and was stationed in Colorado, Texas, Japan, Korea and Oklahoma.

After the service, he worked for the Boeing Company in Seattle in its photography division until moving to Ketchikan in 1968. His work with Boeing entailed everything from photography assignments for Boeing to photo-etching work for the space program to silk screening designs for the interior décor of commercial airlines.

“He was very proud of the work he did in the space program,” his family writes.

Mr. Scanlon met his wife Marlene of Ketchikan in the fall of 1957, when she was attending the University of Washington. They were married Sept. 13, 1958.

In the spring of 1968, Mr. and Mrs.?Scanlon and their three children moved to Ketchikan so Jim could manage the Newtown Liquor Store owned by Marlene’s parents, Paul and Floy Wingren.

In 1972, the Scanlons' purchased Lloyd Photography Studio in order for Jim to pursue his love of photography.

“Many Ketchikan residents and former residents have portraits in their home taken by Jim Scanlon,” his family writes. “He photographed many high school seniors, then did their wedding photographs and then their children. It was a very gratifying profession for him.”

He retired from the photography business in 1987. The business had grown to encompass custom framing and an art gallery, which continued to grow. Mr. Scanlon did framing in the business until his health began to decline. They owned Scanlon Gallery through 2003, when Mr. and Mrs. Scanlon retired.

At different times of his life, Mr. Scanlon was a member of the Moose and Elks Lodges in Seattle, and the Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce, Ketchikan Visitors Bureau and Rotary. He also coached Ketchikan Youth Football.

His favorite entertainment was watching the Seahawks and NASCAR on TV, and spending time with family.

“Family was the most important thing in his life,” his family writes. “He was so proud of his wife and children and their spouses, and his only grandchild Savannah was the apple of his eye. Jim was also a very patriotic man with love of country as one at the top of his list.”

Mr. Scanlon was preceded in death by his parents, Catherine and James C. Scanlon; his sister, Shirley; brother-in-law, Joe; and nephew, Karl Wingren.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Marlene; daughters, Colleen of Ketchikan, and Tami Vargas and her husband Lt. Cmdr. Jose Vargas, who is currently stationed in Honolulu; son, James T. (Tim) Scanlon, his wife Rachel, and their daughter, Savannah of Ketchikan; mother-in-law, Floy Wingren of Ketchikan; brother-in-law, Jerry Wingren of Boulder, Colo.; niece, Lynell Ferguson of Idaho; and nephews, Rich, Rand and Nick Bennett, and Erik Wingren of Washington state.