Martin Walter Scholz

Martin "Jim" Walter Scholz, 83, a longtime resident of the Cornelius community died Sunday morning, March 22, 2009 at the Hopewell House in Portland.

Memorial service will take place at 2pm on Saturday, April 4, 2009 at the St. Peters Lutheran Church; 4265 SW Golf Course Rd. Cornelius, Oregon 97113.

Dessert will be served at the church fellowship hall following the memorial service.

Jim was born on January 30, 1926 in Newberg, OR. He was the oldest of eight children born to Ernst and Lily (Rehwalt) Scholz. He was raised in Newberg and attended parochial school in Sherwood. At the age of thirteen he moved with his family south of Cornelius and settled on the "Family Farm". While living there Jim attended Benson Tech. and Hillsboro High School.

He was united in marriage to Darlene Cantrall on August 19, 1949 in Hillsboro, OR. Following their marriage they made their home in Hillsboro and then moved to Gaston in 1951. In 1962 Jim and his wife bought the farm from his parents and moved to Cornelius were they have lived since.

Jim was a farmer all of his life. As a child his springs, summers, and winters consisted of farm chores, picking various crops and raising animals. Early on Jim and Darlene owned a dairy farm and raised a variety row crops. Later in life the bulk of his time was spent custom corn picking for fellow farmers throughout the Willamette Valley, up into Washington and "over" the mountain into eastern Oregon.

Among his interests he enjoyed square dancing, geography, and was a volunteer firefighter for the Cornelius fire dept. Jim was very resourceful in the shop and loved making things better, whether it was a piece of farm machinery or a shoe horn. He especially enjoyed having his granddaughter, Anna Kate and his step grandchildren visit the farm. His favorite color was blue and favorite season was summer time. He enjoyed playing pinochle with his friends and family.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents and a brother; Robert.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Darlene, two daughters and their spouses; Jeanie and Richard Jones of Cornelius, OR, Jan and Michael Sears of Milwaukie, OR, six siblings; a granddaughter; Anna Kate Sears of Milwaukie, OR, three step grandchildren; Pegi, Anna, Gabe and five great step grandchildren.

The family suggest donations be placed in Jim's name to Legacy Hopewell House Hospice 6171 SW Capitol Hwy Portland, Oregon 97239.