James "Jim" Almendinger

James “Jim” Almendinger, 94 of Dumas, passed away on Saturday, May 11, 2024.  Funeral services are scheduled for 2 o'clock in the afternoon on Friday, May 17, 2024, at First Methodist Church.  Interment will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery in Amarillo under the direction of Beeson ~ Morrison Funeral Directors.  The family will receive friends from 6 o’clock in the afternoon until 8 o’clock in the evening on Thursday at the funeral home.  

Jim was born on October 29, 1929, on the family farm near Bemidji, MN.  After high school, he went to Bemidji State Teachers College for 2 years and transferred to the University of Minnesota where he received a Bachelor of Business Degree.  He served in the Army during the Korean War, although he was not sent to that country.   After boot camp and MP school, he was assigned to the 82^nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, NC.  He served the remainder of the time in the Headquarters Detachment Chemical Division.  He then went to work for Swift & Company in St. Paul, MN in the purchasing department.  He also worked for Swift in Omaha, Chicago, Sioux City and Cactus, TX.  He liked his job and never wanted to do anything else.

After retiring from Swift, he got a real estate license and was a sales agent for Windmill Realty.   Also during that time, he worked as the City Manager for 3 years for the City of Cactus.  He loved his family, his church and his country.  The family’s favorite vacation was to travel with a RV and ending up at “Grandma’s” house in North Dakota and sometimes Minnesota.  In his church, he served on many committees and was a trustee for several years.  He enjoyed sports, especially football and baseball.  He played “Bush” league baseball a few years and coached little league for several years.  He was a member of the “Lions” and especially liked Dogie Days.  He always worked in the hot dog stand and sold tickets in addition to helping several other stands.  On June 15, 1957, James married Gail Brims in Grafton, N.D. and the couple had two daughters; Sandra Carlile and Jody Plunk.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Gail; his daughter, Jody Plunk; granddaughter, Meagan Plunk; sister, Charlotte Giles; brothers: Charles, Albert, Leonard, Russell and Gordan.

He is survived by his daughter: Sandra Carlile of Amarillo, TX; granddaughters: Carmen Brittain and Jessica Brittain; grandson, Derrick Plunk; 5 great grandchildren; sister, Cheryl Lindgren and husband Gary; brother, Willis Almendinger and wife Kathy.

The family suggests with gratitude that memorials be made to First Methodist Church, 501 Binkley, Dumas TX 79029 or to the donor’s charity of choice.