Jesse Ginn

MISSOULA – Jesse Ginn went to live with the Lord on March 28, 2013. He died of natural causes sitting in his favorite chair. Jesse was 80 years old.

He was born in Hamilton on July 20, 1932. He lived most of his childhood in the Bitterroot and would walk from his cabin down to Hamilton to watch a movie show for a nickel once a week. As he got older, he learned to work on motors by taking them apart and putting them back together again. He often talked about growing up in the Depression.

He married his lifelong friend, wife and business partner Judy Hauglum of Missoula; they had a happy and full marriage of 59 years.

Jesse loved the outdoors, which he implemented into his jobs and later in his career. Jesse worked at several of the local sawmills in Missoula. With only a grade school education and a red dump truck, Jesse and Judy started a successful logging business, JJ and JJ Ginn Logging, which they ran for 35 years and employed all four of their sons, other family and close friends. At retirement, his youngest son continued the logging business for many years.

In 1968, Jesse was in a serious logging accident when he was crushed by a log and was flown from Morrell Creek, northeast of Seeley Lake, to St. Patrick Hospital. Police had to stop traffic in the middle of Broadway for the helicopter to land. This was the first flight of what is now known as Life Flight.

Jesse cherished time spent with his family. Jeeps, motorcycles, snowmobiling, camping and fishing were a big part of his younger years. Many family memories were made at their cabin on the Double Arrow Ranch.

As the years went by, Jesse's interests grew to sand rails and four-wheeling. In his later years, Jesse and Judy loved spending time at their lake property on Flathead Lake. He enjoyed woodworking, bird watching and collecting old Montana license plates all the way back from the 1920s. He thoroughly loved playing with his grandkids and great-grandkids. He was a regular at a cafe for a cup of coffee and conversation with friends to talk about logging in the good old days.

Jesse was a member of Hope Baptist Church, where he established and was grateful for his personal relationship with the Lord.

Jesse once was asked, what came first, the chicken or the egg? After a moment of thought he responded, "Well, I have never seen an egg lay a chicken, so I guess the chicken." That's what so many people loved about Jesse: He was simple and straight to the point.

Jesse was such a hard worker. He would go home after a long day's work, eat while his wife cleaned the windows of his truck, then head back to the job, sleep in his truck so he could be the first one back for another load of logs. He believed you should never accuse anyone of something unless 100 percent positive. Things he would say: "Always stand up for yourself or you will never get ahead in life," "See you in the funny papers" and "Don't take no wooden nickels."

Jesse is survived by his loving wife Judy; his brother James Ginn; Jesse's four sons, Vern, Jerry, Russell and Allen; and his only daughter Jody Ginn Baldassin; also by nine grandchildren and six great-grand children who he loved unconditionally. Each one held a special place in his heart.

To honor Jesse's memory, the family requests donations be made to the Humane Society or the Watson Children's Shelter.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at Garden City Funeral Home with a reception to follow. Services will be officiated by the Rev. Dan Taylor of Hope Baptist Church. A private burial will be held at a later date.

Read Jesse Ginn's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.