James "Jim" H. Elmore

James "Jim" H. Elmore, 78, photographer and printer, died Thursday, February 8, 2024. Memorial Service will be at 1:00 pm, Saturday, February 17, 2024, at Downing & Lahey West Mortuary. Preceded in death by his parents, Lehman and Norma L. Elmore; wife, Deborah Louise Elmore; daughter, Lissa. Survived by his daughter, Andi Elmore; granddaughter, MacKenzie Dickey; son, Scott; numerous extended family that he loved and adored. A memorial has been established with: American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116-7023. Jim Elmore was born on September 9, 1945 - a very cool birthday according to him because it was 9-9-45. He left this world on February 8, 2024. He was the epitome of what unconditional love should be and I was lucky enough to be his daughter. Dad grew up very close to his grandfather and I treasure the stories of him working in the fields with him and the team of horses, the orchards, and running around with his cousins - definitely NOT creating mischief. Drafting school was Dad’s calling after high school and he quickly excelled at the skill. The teacher even asked him to teach classes because of his ability to grasp the concepts. After drafting school, Dad traveled to Kansas to work at a small aircraft company, hoping to get his pilot’s license. Unfortunately, the company did not stay in business. Dad took a job at the Coffeyville newspaper as their photojournalist and this is where he met Mom, a journalist. They became fast friends, and the editor paired them up to be a writer/photographer team to cover local stories. Dad would keep going up on aerial flights to photograph land plots, tornado damage, and whatever he was commandeered to do. He was even deputized to take crime scene photos for the local police department. Debbi and Jim moved on to Independence and continued to work in journalism. Finally, they moved to Wichita, he started working for KG&E and they married in 1978. I arrived in 1979. Dad was unlike any other any other person I ever met. He had a sharp wit, brilliant intelligence, and a quiet, reserved manner. His ability to come up with something sarcastic or hilarious to say always amazed me, no matter how distressed I was feeling. We always had a special relationship. I respected him as my father, yet he was always my best friend, and I could speak to him about anything. He is still and will always be my best friend. Shortly after I was born, Dad began building his dream job - a print shop in Sedgwick, Kansas. He opened Photo-Graphic Communications, better known as “The Shop”, when I started kindergarten, so I was able to go to school with all my cousins and Dad was able to run his own business, setting his hours around my school events and helping with the family as needed. Dad loved to tell people that I was his number one helper and as I grew up, I became a full-fledged employee, earning a paycheck instead of an allowance, learning work ethics and values, and recruiting friends to work with me to finish as fast as possible to get to events with cash in hand. My friends and I loved to spend time at The Shop, doing homework, hanging out, working on our homecoming floats that Dad provided the trailer for and pulled for us in each parade. I was even asked to prom at The Shop. One example, Dad would pick my younger cousin, Lesley, up from kindergarten. After loading her up in the front seat of the car - before the days of car seats - she scooted over to the driver’s side and he got to the driver’s side door, opened it and said “what do you think you’re doing?” Her appropriate response was, “I am going to drive, if you would just put the car in reverse, I can drive from here.” He promptly told her “I don’t think so, get back over in your seat.” After getting situated back in their appropriate seats, Lesley looked at Dad and said, “Oh Jeeeem, you are such a poophead.” And thus, a lifelong friendship between two of my favorite people began.Probably the most significant relationship I ever witnessed was that of Dad and his granddaughter, MacKenzie. The two were inseparable from the minute they met. Dad would often walk around the block, carrying her as an infant to get her to sleep. Then when she was older, he would participate in whatever project she was doing for school or hobby she was working on at the time. Nothing she was doing was boring to Dad. Plus, their ice cream dates after school were always a welcome treat.He loved gardening, photography, and most of all rebuilding and driving his 1956 and 1966 Cadillacs. I always wondered why I was only added to the insurance on the 66. The 56 Cadillac is a pink Coupe de Ville, just like Elvis drove and Dad rebuilt it from the ground up. The 66 is a convertible in all original condition. We would take those cars out on weekends to shows and parades as often as possible. I could go on and on regarding my dad and what impact he had on those around him. However, I know you all know and love him for your own special significant ways. Someday I would love to hear about all of them. And please, let those memories leave you with overwhelming love.

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