It was a beautiful day in Surprise, Arizona when James D. Elliot (Jim), passed away at his home on November 10, 2020. Jim was 79 years old.
Jim was born in Terry, Montana, the only son of Ian and Lucel Elliot. He attended schools in Miles City after Ian accepted the Chief Engineer job at KRJF. He graduated from Custer County High School in 1960, then went onto MSU in Missoula and then to Pacific University to get his BS and OD degrees. Jim served in the United States Air Force based in Glasgow, MT as an optometrist. He then bought Dr. Hadley’s practice in Miles City and joined with Dr. Melvin Rogstad to practice optometry with offices in Miles City, Forsyth, Baker and Broadus. After 37 years of active practice he retired to Surprise, AZ.
Jim married Sue Kosty in December 1965 and from this union had three fantastic daughters: Vikki Bohlman, Amy Frazey and Heather Elliot-Bartman. In November 1986 Jim married Karen Ervine Holmlund and expanded the family to include her sons Kevin and Kris Holmlund.
Jim loved spending time with family and friends. He had an active life which included activities such as flying, golf, all sports, RVing, crafts (stained and fused glass), Amateur Radio, table tennis, card games, bridge, etc. He was active in scuba diving – his best dives ever were in Truck Lagoon and the Japanese Pearl Harbor with over 50 ships sunk during WWII. He and Karen enjoyed traveling, including taking numerous cruises and exploring various cities in different countries.
Jim also enjoyed being active in the communities that he lived in. He served as President of the Rotary Club, the Amateur Radio Club, Miles City Hanger Flying club, Exalter Ruler of the Elks Club, President of the Sun City Grand Table Tennis club and was President of the Montana Optometric Association. He was also active in the Presbyterian church as well as other committees.
Jim had a great sense of humor – he loved to make everyone laugh, enjoyed a good practical joke and preferred to look at life with a glass half full perspective. He was always ready to greet you with his warm smile and he was open to new adventures (or a fun plan to create mischief). He cherished his family and loved seeing them grow, especially his granddaughters, grandson and great-grandchildren.
He expressed to his family recently that he was grateful for the full life that he had and that he cherished his family, friends and all of the memories that were made over the years.
Jim is survived by his wife Karen, his three daughters Vikki and her husband Leland Bohlman, Amy and her husband John Frazey, Heather and her husband Sheridan Bartman, his half-sister Linda Cloud, seven grandchildren Deanna Solee, Krysten Bohlman, Erin Bohlman, Elliot Bartman, Tristyn Bartman, Samantha Bartman and Dallas Bartman and his great-granddaughter Rilie Solee and great-grandson Eric Solee and his stepson Kris Holmlund.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents Ian and Lucel Elliot, his stepson Kevin Holmlund and grandparents James and Mabel Elliot.
Due to Covid no services will be held at this time. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
Cards can be mailed to: Karen Elliot, 18960 N. Hawthorn Dr., Surprise, AZ 85387
Service Schedule
Services are pending at this time or no services will be held. If available, please see obituary for more information.
Service Schedule
Services are pending at this time or no services will be held. If available, please see obituary for more information.
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Rick Newby says
73’s Jim. Good man.
Doug & Cherie Heser says
To Dr. Elliot’s family,
Dr. Elliot was our family optometrist for many years. We always enjoyed him personally and appreciated his professional work.
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Doug & Cherie Heser, Forsyth
MARTHA CRANDALL says
my sympathy
B Dean Holmes says
I will miss Dr. Jim . I worked for his Father Ian . Jim would always take time to talk when ever we would meet.
to Sue and family, my condolences.
Denise Harvey says
To all of Jim’s family,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all! Thank you for sharing Jim with our community. May you find peace and comfort in cherished memories.
Denise and Jay Harvey
Tonna says
Vikki, we are praying for all of you at First Presbyterian Church, Helena.
God be with you and your entire family.
Burch Palmer says
So long class mate. I’ll play a tune on the pipes for you next time I have them out See you at the reunion in the sky.
Barbara Allard says
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you Karen. Jim was a great person! Loved his sense of humor. Take care.
Pam Rogge says
My thoughts and prayers are with Jim’s family at this time. Was a shock to see this; I had just messaged him on FB a few weeks ago to ask him a “house” question and we had a nice visit. My prayers to Karen, Vikki, Amy, and Heather. Cherish the memories!
Mary Ann Liles says
Jim was a thoughtful and intelligent man and a good doctor. We enjoyed knowing him and send our prayers and sympathy to his family.
Mary Ann & Jim Liles
Becky Bass says
Vikki, I meet you in Helena, and you were so helpful with your dinners done right for my mom. As we visited you shared that you were from Miles City and being said we got to visit alot. I pray for you and your family during this difficult time. But can see what a great daughter you are and what a great heart for people like your dad. Thinking of you! Becky
Ardel Hilderbrand says
Deljean Hiderbrand here: Jim took care of my and Ralphs eyes for many years. We both considered him to be a friend and not merely our optometrist. My thoughts and prayers are with you in your grief.
Tim Crews says
Sad to hear. Jim was a great guy. May you be comforted during this time
Ike Eichler says
Jim was a great guy and always associate him as a bridge player rathr than an eye doctor. RIP
Jan C. Johnson says
Heather and family,
My sincere condolences for the loss of your husband, father, grandparent. My prayers and thoughts are with you all.
Butch and Julie Krutzfeldt says
We enjoyed our friendship with Jim and appreciated his zest for life and learning. Our thoughts and prayers are with your entire family.
Sharon McNeil says
Jim was a very fun loving and always eager to help friend. I will miss him. My deepest sympathy to the family.
Sharon McNeil
Sandra Domagala Konkright says
Classmates are Forever, CCHS Class of 1960 will be missing you. We were also neighborhood friends as we grew up in Miles City – – fond memories even though you pushed down my new bicycle and scratched the fender !!
Sincere condolences to the Elliot families.
Bill & Sue Bielecki says
Jim, is an always will be, one of our dearest friends. We met when we both moved into Sun City Grand in 2001. After meeting on the Sun City grand website, we found out that we were neighbors. Jim, Karen, Bill and I, had some good times together. Did some traveling together. Spent time with him up in Montana, took them to New Jersey our home state. I’ll never forget how shocked he was to find out it wasn’t an “asphalt jungle,” but a state full of farms, lakes, rivers & oceans. We also got to know each other’s families, and had so many laughs. We will never forget you. My deepest condolences To your family.
Joe Ganete says
He was full of life and easily put a smile on anybody’s face.
I wish I could have known him earlier in my life. He’s the kind of person anyone would want as a friend. My deepest condolences to the family.
Tom Clarke says
Jim and I grew up in the same neighborhood him on S. Lake, and Stower St for me. We were in Boy Scouts together and rode our bicycles around the whole town trying to stay out of trouble. We both were in the US Air Force at the same time, and both returned to Miles City in 1968. Jim was a good friend and my personal Optometrist.
RIP
Carolyn Hays says
Jim was my eye doctor from my first pair of glasses until he moved away from MC. Great guy. I’m sure his family will miss him dearly. To soon we lose the really good ones. My condolences to all of you. Cooky (Johnson) Hays
Charlotte & Bob Grover says
So sorry to learn of Jim’s passing. Lots of nice memories. Prayers for his family.
Gene S. Carlson says
Jim and I were pals from the seventh grade on. We spent a lot of memorable, and just good, times together. Even though we lived far apart, we always made sure to get together when I returned to Miles City to visit my relatives and get my eyes checked. Seems like I put off going to Arizona once too often.
My wife Justyna has received a number of compliments on the necklaces that Jim made for her.
Our condolences to Karen and the younger generations.
Mike & Judy Toennis Family says
Our thoughts and prayers are with your families.
Gail Carlson Price and Harry says
The first time brother Gene brought Jim home to meet the family, I felt this meant double little brother trouble. And it did. He did like to tease. A great guy.
Butch and Ruth says
Jim’s family has been part of our lives as long as we remember. Karen, our thoughts are with you ,Vikki, Amy and Heather.
Donna Leitholt-Taylor says
I am so sorry to hear this. Dr. Elliot was a wonderful person and eye doctor. I remember once being in Biilings and ripping a contact. I didn’t have my glasses and needed my contacts to drive. I called him at home on a Sunday and he went to his office and faxed my prescription to Shopko so I could get a contact without having to pay for an exam. The doctor on duty there was shocked that he would do that for me. That is how much he cared about his patients.
Gary Coffrin says
Although I had not met Jim during my years in Miles City, I enjoyed some telephone conversations with Jim during the past couple years. After I told Jim about his dad generously providing a tour of KATL to me and two of my young friends, Jim told me about his changing the red bulb atop the KATL antenna tower when he was a young guy. He recalled getting radiation burns in his first attempt, and after that the transmitter was shut down before changing the bulbs.
One shared interest was our appreciation of the photographs of L.A. Huffman, who documented local history starting in 1879.
It was my loss that I had interactions with Jim in such a short period of time. I appreciated his intelligence and good humor. I extend my sympathies to his family and to his close friends for their loss.
Mike Mangen says
Family, so sorry for the loss. Jim was in one of my 1st ham radio classes. We had great times talking about radios, flying and general stuff. 73, Mike
Stewart Buckingham says
Jim was a cousin of my Scottish wife Isabel (whose mother was an Elliot) and I first had the pleasure of meeting Jim, Karen and their family in Paris during their holiday in Europe 20 years ago. We then saw them again when we visited Miles City during two holidays we took in the USA. He took us to see the Devils Tower, Mount Rushmore and many other interesting places, and took us for a flight in his Mooney over Terry where he was born and also to the site of his father Ian’s homestead near Broadus. We last saw him when he came with Karen to the UK in 2009 to explore his ancestral links in the Scottish borders region. I was pleased that that trip gave me an opportunity to take him flying. Jim was absolutely a “larger than life” character, always with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, a joke to share or prank to play, and such a generous spirit. A wonderful man, it was a real honour and a great pleasure to have known him, and my thoughts go out to Karen and the family in their sad loss.
Kris says
In 1991 my brother Kevin killed himself in the garage.
So, in 2020 Jim did the same in the garage so that his wife Karen would find him.
with a .357
To try to drive his her insane.