James Warren De Pree

James Warren De Pree, 77, a longtime resident of Mount Shasta, Calif., passed away Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, in Coronado, Calif.

Jim was born Sept. 17, 1942, in Potlatch, the son of Dr. John Nelson Warren De Pree, a country medical doctor, and Veronica Lahr, a registered nurse.

Jim graduated summa cum laude from the University of Idaho in Moscow in 1965 with a double major in forestry and business and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He received his commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve upon graduation. He later attended the University of Utah, studying meteorology, and served as an Air Force weather officer in Korea, Japan and at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, Calif. He served for four years and reached the rank of captain when he left the Air Force to pursue other interests.

He married the former Deborah Donelson in 1971 (divorced in 1993), and ultimately settled in Mt. Shasta in 1974 to raise a family.

Jim worked as a project manager for the Sea Ranch Association on the California coast; the Wilderness Society with offices in both Washington, D.C., and Juneau, Alaska; the Timber Growers of Northern California; Timberworks; the Mt. Shasta Ski Park; and as a natural resources policy specialist for Siskiyou County, until he retired in 2007. He was an avid environmental advocate and conservationist, woodworker, weatherman, investor, consultant and a part-time geologist. He was also a registered professional forester — a certification that he cherished. He lived in Mt. Shasta for many years and loved the mountain, the lakes (especially Castle Lake), and the plentiful trees, birds and numerous wildflowers.

He leaves behind a son, Navy Capt. John Warren De Pree; his daughter-in-law, Eve; grandchildren Thomas Warren and Emily Rachel; his daughter, Jennifer Elizabeth De Pree; and granddaughter Hannah McKay Stevenson. He is also survived by his sister, Barbara Cherf, and her husband, Jim, and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life was held for Jim on March 6 at his son’s home on Naval Base Coronado. The day prior, his son, Capt. John De Pree, assumed command of Naval Base Coronado in a change of command ceremony attended by many friends and family. Many of those friends and family also celebrated Jim’s life.

In honor of Jim, plant a tree in a California National Forest. Donations can be made to https://shop.alivingtribute.org/products/plant-a-tree-california.