James P. Arnoldi, 82, of Hayden, passed away July 19, 2013, in Hayden. He was born Oct. 25, 1930, in Walkerville, Mont., to Anton and Caterina Arnoldi.

He was a member of the VFW, Korean War Veterans, The Elks in Coeur d’Alene and Eagles of Hayden and Coeur d’Alene. In 1948 Jim worked the Butte, Mont., mines at the age of 17. He worked Washington, Nevada, California and Oregon mines during his lifetime of mining and serving during the Korean War.

In 1961 he married Helen France of Anaconda, Mont., and gained stepson Miles France. On Aug. 20, 1962, they were gifted with twin sons; James and Joel. Jim continued in the Butte mines and organized for the United Steelworkers of America in the late 60s while employed by the Anaconda Co. He was instrumental in the Steelworkers taking over the company Oriented Mine Mill and Steelworkers Union in the Montana operation of Anaconda. He was very active with others in educating the laboring class to successfully defeat the so-called “Right to work” misrepresentative propaganda time after time. Labor in Montana remains free to bargain to this day.

Around 1970 Jim was chosen as one of three instructors in a new program of underground mining at the new Butte Vocational Center and the Kelley Mine under the sponsorship of the USDOL, Anaconda Co., United Steelworkers and various Silver Valley mining companies which lasted for almost three years until the program was discontinued. Jim worked for the Anaconda Co. research department and later as a mine safety and health inspector for the U.S. Department of Interior and Department of Labor.

In 1984 Jim married Wilda “Punkie” Glencross of Wallace and retired in 1993. They resided in Coeur d’Alene and Dalton Gardens untill illness overtook Wilda in 2009. Jim is also preceded in death by his sister Angelina. He is survived by his stepson, Frankie (Miles) France; and sons, Jim of Golden, Colo., and Joel of Walkerville, Mont.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be sent to the North Idaho Cancer Center. Services are pending at the Eagles in Hayden. Visit Jim’s memorial page at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.