Dr. James Alexander Calder passed away peacefully on February 12, 2017 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Reno, Nevada. He was 86 years old.
Jim was born in Vernal, Utah on December 19, 1930 to Wallace and Doris Alexander Calder. He and his family moved to Winnemucca, Nevada when he was in the 5th grade. His father, Wallace, began his dental practice, in a Quonset Hut, on the corner of 2nd and Melarkey Streets. Jim was the only boy in the family. He had three sisters; Joan, Lois, and Wally. He attended Winnemucca Grammar School where he met the love of his life and future bride Beverly Neal. Jim was a graduate of Humboldt County High School. He went to the University of Nevada in Reno, where he was a member of the track team and ATO fraternity. Jim went on to Loyola University School of Dentistry, in Chicago, Illinois, where he was a member of the Key Club, and graduated with honors receiving his D.D.S. Degree in 1959. Jim was also a member of the Elks Lodge, American Legion Post #5, Civil Air Patrol’s search and rescue team and the American and Nevada Dental Associations.
Jim married Beverly Neal and they raised three children; Bonnie, Robbyn and Jimmy. They all followed him to UNR and Loyola. He was in the Nevada National Guard and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1958. After graduating from dental school Jim moved his family to Elk Grove, California where he was a Captain at Mather Air Force Base until 1962. He and the family returned to Winnemucca to join his father’s dental practice; which he took over and served patients in Winnemucca, Lovelock, and Battle Mountain until his retirement in 2000.
Jim spent almost every summer working with his mother, father, and sisters at their families gold mine. He had many wonderful memories of that special time. While in dental school he worked nights at the Cook County Hospital to support his family. Jim got his pilot’s license and had many airplanes that he loved to fly. He had a Cessna 150, and a Cessna 205, a Citabria and an amphibian. He flew to Lovelock and Battle Mountain to serve his patients there. Bonnie remembers flying up to Wild Horse Reservoir with him in his amphibian landing and fishing in the middle of the reservoir off the wing of the airplane. He loved boating, water skiing, scuba diving, spear fishing ocean, lake and river fishing, hunting, making jewelry using the gold from the mine and traveling all over the world. He went to Lake Powell, Alaska and Mexico almost every year. He would bring back moose, caribou, elk, deer, chukar, pheasant, sock eye salmon, and abalone from his many hunting, fishing and diving trips. He also wrecked a couple of those airplanes and because of his many flight hours, aviation skills and guardian angel he managed to survive. Jim would always say he lived the life of ten people full of many exciting adventures.
Jim is survived by his daughter and spouse, Bonnie Hilbish (Ron), and his sisters, Joan Dufurrena (Johnny), Lois Baum, and Wally McGhie. Seven grandchildren, spouse and fiancee, Travis Hilbish (Lisa), Matthew Hilbish (Mandy Chaffin), Tovi Hilbish, Sean Petty, Shannon Petty (Craig Helber), Meganne Cone, and Abby Cone. Seven great grandchildren Kylie, Keira and Kepa Hilbish, Tiffany and Brittney Petty, and Israel Diaz-Cone., and many more nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his mother and father Doris and Wallace Calder, wife Beverly Neal-Calder, son James Neal Calder, daughter Robbyn Petty-Cone, sister-in-law Marilyn Neal- Nocciolo, brothers-in-law Al Nocciolo, Gene Baum, and Don McGhie, niece Kimberly Couch-Baker and nephew Joe Dufurrena.
A special thanks to Dr. Perkinson and his staff, the Genesis nurses and staff, Winnemucca Hospice, Angie’s Angels, The Beehive, Serenity Senior Care, the doctors and nurses at St. Mary’s emergency, cardiac, and palliative care units, Affinity and Sonoma funeral services, whose loving care was a great comfort to Jim and his family.
A memorial service, celebrated by Father Jose Sabarzo, for Jim and Bev, will be held on Saturday, April 8th, 2017 at the Catholic Church at 10:30 with interment at the Winnemucca cemetery. A luncheon in the basement of the church will follow; hosted by the St. Paul’s Altar Society. The family is blessed by their benevolent service.
Donations may be made in Jim’s name to either the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave. 7th fl. New York, N.Y. 10001 or the National Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, Florida 33131.
