JAMES ALLEN APSEY

There are many people in the world named James Apsey, but only one James Allen Apsey. Jim was born in Ferndale, Michigan on March 23, 1937 and departed life on earth on June 30, 2023 in Leesburg, Florida. Jim is the son of Robert J. Apsey and Viola H. (Ina Beebe) Apsey of Lincoln, Michigan. The second of four brothers and two sisters, Jim was raised on a farm in Lincoln where hard work started at sunrise and ended long after sunset.

Jim experienced all farm work and was also expected to learn how to operate and maintain the farm machinery. When his father needed a new tractor, he relied on his teenage son Jim to test tractors and choose which one to purchase.

Even though Jim was busy on the farm with all the chores, his elementary school teacher, Mrs. Gould requested that he be allowed to skip a grade because of all his intellectual abilities. He was given permission to move up a grade and continued to study diligently. At the age of 13, Jim competed in the area spelling bee and brought home the winning trophy! Jim’s young life was filled to the brim with his work on the farm and school studies, but he and his brothers found time to go fishing and bring home fish for supper.

At age 14, Jim met the love of his life, Nancy Maude Knight. From that day forward, some 70+ years, to speak of Jim and not Nancy was like having “pie without cheese” or a “kiss without a squeeze.” Jim graduated from high school as valedictorian of his class and he and Nancy were married in the First United Methodist Church in Lincoln on Aug. 27, 1955.

Both Jim and Nancy graduated college and received their degrees in education. Nancy would be teaching elementary school and Jim would be teaching high school science classes. The majority of their careers were spent in Alpena with the Alpena Public School system.

Jim was an avid fisherman and competed in the Alpena Brown Trout Festival, bringing home several trophies throughout the years. He also loved fishing on the Great Lakes and in local streams with his family and friends. Jim worked hard to secure many acres of swamp land in the Alpena area, which is now Negwegon State Park, to be used to educate youth with aspects of nature and conservation.

Upon retirement from the classroom, Jim and Nancy moved to Hawthorne in Leesburg, Florida, where they became involved with the Hawthorne Acting Guild along with many other clubs in Hawthorne. Jim had major roles in numerous productions with the park. Jim exercised, swam, and jogged or walked daily. At one point in his life, he even qualified for the Boston Marathon.

Jim and Nancy’s love of learning and people led them into traveling groups. They traveled worldwide and had many adventures and stories to share with everyone. They found the most interesting experience to be the time they spent in Africa with the Maasai Tribespeople, but felt the most beautiful part of the world was the USA.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, sister Barbara in 1934, daughter Janice Apsey in 1983, brother Delbert in 2013, brother Kenneth in 2020 and his beloved wife, Nancy in 2021.

Jim is survived by his son Ronald, his brother Glenn, his sister Karen Huth-Davis (Darrell) and numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

A special thank you goes to niece and nephew, Ron and Sue (Palmer) White, nephew Tom Aspey and retired chaplain and neighbor, Leo Heller. They spent hours and days inspiring Jim during his final weeks of life.

Jim will be interred beside his wife and daughter at Twin Lakes Cemetery in Lincoln. A date has not been set for his memorial service.

Jim and Nancy made a positive difference in this world. Because they championed education and lifelong learning, the family would appreciate any memorials be sent to: Alpena Education Association, 452 W. Baldwin Street, Alpena, Michigan, 49707, ATTN: Apsey Memorial Scholarship. (Checks made out to the Apsey Memorial Scholarship).