James William Bastion, Jr.

James “Jim” Bastion, Jr. passed away Monday, April 30, 2018 at his home in Stillwater, OK. He was 73. Funeral services have been entrusted to the care of Dighton-Marler Funeral Home of Stillwater. A memorial service will be held on Monday, May 7, 2018 at 11:00am at the Southside Baptist Church in Stillwater.

Jim was born December 13, 1944 in Stillwater, OK, to James, Sr. and Faye (Beam) Bastion. He graduated Stillwater High School in 1962. He married Carolyn Fultz on June 16, 1996 in Miami, OK. They made their home in Stillwater where they raised their family.

Jim was your typical man. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and gardening, but his true love was mowing the lawn. A love affair even his wife couldn’t control. He loved all the animals and treated them as pets even though some were heading to the butcher. Jim worked for OSU for 35 years, although Charlie asked him to come back part-time for two years to run crews. Jim may have been an excellent painter, but he was also an artist. When the kids in the dorms asked him to paint their halls, he painted the Pyramids of Giza and Hieroglyphs. Jim was friends with everyone. He could talk the hind legs off a mule. He loved to laugh and pull pranks on the kids and grandkids. He enjoyed his family very much, especially his kids and grandkids. Even when Camber, while struggling to put a bridle on her horse, told Pa to, “beat that horse.” Pa told her, “I’m not going to, he’s eating.”

Even when Jim didn’t understand everything we were talking about, he would be smiling while we laughed. So, when you think of Jim, I hope it is with a smile on your face and love in your heart, because I know he loved all of you.

Jim is survived by his loving wife Carolyn, of the home; four children, Jamie Bastion and Crystal Lowder both of Stillwater, OK, Lora McAlister and husband C.A. of Glencoe, OK, and Michaelle Snyder and husband William Moore of Stillwater, OK; nine grandchildren, Tyler McAlister, Carly McAlister, Brenna McAlister, Camber McAlister, Caitlyn Snyder, Liam Lowder, Brittny Clark and husband Brian, Cory Archer, and Courtney Archer; great granddaughter, Hattie Clark; mother, Faye Bastion of Stillwater, OK; one brother, Carl Bastion and wife Joyce of Stillwater, OK; numerous nieces, nephews, and a host of friends.

He was preceded in death by his father.