James Basil Kirsch

James Basil Kirsch passed away January 6, 2026, at the age of 82, surrounded by his family at his home in Naselle. 

James was born in Salem, Oregon to father Augustin (Gus) and his mother Marie, raised in nearby Stayton with his siblings at the family farm. After graduating from St. Martin’s University in Olympia he joined the Peace Corps in NYC, where he met the love of his life Bonalyn Darue Smith. He married Bonnie in 1968, and together they returned to Olympia where Jim taught sociology for his alma mater before moving to Naselle in 1971 where he and Bonnie raised their three children. 

Employed as a counselor and later as a supervisor, Jim retired from the Naselle Youth Camp in 1993. He returned to school to become a polygraph examiner, providing services to numerous agencies throughout Washington and Oregon until 2011. 

James lived a life of service where he was active in local youth sports as a Little League coach and umpire. Later in life, he would go on to volunteer with the Chinook Food Bank and as a board member of the Friends of the Naselle Library. He took great pleasure in gardening, doing crossword puzzles, reading, and daily Scrabble games, and never missed a chance to cheer on his Dodgers and Mariners. 

James touched many lives and was important to countless people. He was known by many names - James, Jim, Jimmy, Dad, Pop, Poppa, and Boppa- but whatever he was called, he made the world a better place for those fortunate to know him. 

He is preceded in death by his parents Augustin and Marie, brother Stephen, and sisters Rose Marie Chambers and Elizabeth Kirsch. 

He is survived by his wife Bonalyn; sons Jeremy (Amy) Kirsch and Jeff (Sarah) Kirsch; daughter Megan (Dan) Vopnford and his beloved grandchildren Kaitlin, Melina, Jaimie, Joseph, Mason, Declan, Sadie and Joshua; and sister Katherine Kirsch. 

Donations can be made to Friends of the Chinook School - please specify Food Bank in the subject line- PO Box 243, Chinook, WA 98614 or CMH-OHSU Cancer Center.

A celebration of life will be held on a future date.