James Frank Koons, age 87, died November 1, 2024 at his home in Kanab, Utah.  He was born April 10, 1937, the first son of Charles and Mae Larson Koons. He was raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota along with his two brothers, Daniel Charles and Douglas Wayne.
 Boy Scouts, hunting, fishing, high school sports, and YMCA activities kept Jim busy in his early years.  He attended and graduated from Washington High School in 1955, and then volunteered for the draft.  As a result, he spent four years in the US Army, two years of active duty and two years in the Reserve.  While on active duty, he was able to visit most of the countries of Western Europe.
 After active duty, Jim started college as a forestry major. He attended South Dakota State College, then transferred and graduated from Utah State College with a BS of Forestry.  He for the US Forest Service around the west before ending up in the Dixie National Forest in Cedar City, Utah.  After 10 years, he switched to the private sector, hiring on at Kaibab Industries as an assistant logging manager in their Fredonia Arizona sawmill.  He worked his way up through management to eventually become Vice-President of Operations with responsibilities for road building, logging, and the sawmill operations at both Fredonia and Panguitch.
 Jim stayed with Kaibab Industries until their closure of all operations in the Northern Arizona/Southern Utah area in the mid 1990's.  He was one of the last employees to leave when the plant and operations were closed at both sawmills.  He often said that he would forever be grateful for the opportunity he had working for and with the wonderful people he met during his career.
 Jim kept busy during his retirement years.  He studied retirement investment planning, and was asked to teach investment planning classes at Mohave Community College.  When he wasn’t busy managing his own investments, he was hauling 15-20 loads of wood for his family and friends every year or learning how to kill weeds in Grandma Mognett’s 10,000 square foot garden.  Up until the day he died he was still practicing on the never ending task of weed killing  - under the watchful eye of several Mognett girls.
 Every person makes a few critical decisions during their life.  Jim made two.  The first one was following his dad’s advice to go into the military before going to college to get a forestry degree.  That career path led him to his second and most important decision, when, and the age of 40, he married Patricia Chloe Mognett in December of 1977.  As a result of these two decisions, Jim often said he was the luckiest person he ever knew.
 Jim was preceded in death by his father and mother, and both brothers.  He is survived by his wife Patricia, stepson Kerry Grant Worthen, several step-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and in-laws on both the Koons and Mognett sides of the family.
 A short graveside service with military honors will be held Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 2:00 PM in the Kanab Cemetery.  There will be a viewing from 1:00-1:45 PM at Mosdell Mortuary prior to services.