August 29, 1936 – December 29, 2020

James (Jim) Benton Hoots was born Aug 29, 1936, in Adams, Tennessee, to James and Ruth Hoots. Jim worked on the family farm until he enlisted in the Air Force in 1954. Jim completed Basic Training in October 1954 at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Jim served in the U.S. Air Force from 1954 until 1966 as a crew radar control operator, as an aircraft control and warning technician and on the Unit Battle Station Intelligence Team. Jim was stationed at Othello Surveillance Radar Base, Belleville Air Force Station, Illinois, Fort George Mead, Maryland, and Unalakleet Air Force Station, Alaska. He retired at the rank of staff sergeant.

While based in Othello, he met Myra Carder whom he married June 18, 1955, in Walla Walla. When Jim retired from the Air Force, they decided to settle in Othello with their five children. They divorced in 1970.

In the early years in Othello, Jim owned the Enco Service Station, was a volunteer Adams County Ambulance Driver and eventually worked for the Berk family at the Union 76 Station.

On Jan. 7, 1972, in Othello, Jim and Dorothy Steele Weed joined their two families together as one in marriage. Jim and son Mickey purchased the Union 76 Station in 1981. In 1989, Jim and Mickey partnered up again to purchase the NAPA Othello Auto Parts where Dorothy had worked since 1979. Jim and Dorothy worked together with son and daughter-in-law Mickey and Rhonda Hoots who eventually purchased Jim and Dorothy’s half of the store so they could retire in 2010.

In retirement, Jim continued some farming, raising chickens and beef cattle, traveling with Dorothy, spending time with family and hanging out at the store. He had a way of making each one of his family feel like they were his favorite, especially his grandchildren. We will all miss his great sarcastic humor and him sharing all his jokes with us.

Jim passed away peacefully on Dec. 29, 2020, at Holy Family Hospital in Spokane, Washington. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Shirley Alewelt, granddaughter Michelle Martinez, and sons-in-law Ricardo (Ric) Martinez and Randy Kusske.

He is survived by his wife and best friend of nearly 49 years Dorothy, sister Rachel (Paul) Casey and brother Tom (Becky) Hoots. Jim is also survived by his nine children Allen (Alice) Hoots, Mickey (Rhonda) Hoots, Robin Kusske, Roxanne (Don) Osborne, Becky (Frank) Taylor, Rusty Weed, Tami Hoots, Renee (Ted) Hill and Brad (DeAnne) Hoots as well as his 24 grandchildren Shanan Harrison, Jeremy Hoots, Kera Evans, Raef Hoots, Starr Bortz, Shavon Ramirez, Jacob Hoots, Aimee Peppinger, Josh Kusske, Jesse Kusske, Rocky Martinez, Holly Reichenbach, Benjamin Taylor, Tammy Shade, Matt Weed, Breanna Weed, Chasity Zabriskie, Rachel Howell, Tiffany Bustamante, Venesa Voght, Shady Holloway, Jonathan Holloway, Kayla Hoots and Jasmine Hoots, plus 49 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service is being planned for spring/summer 2021.