If you were blessed to know James Pooler, who peacefully joined his wife, Theresa, on March 30, 2023, you knew him as a kind-hearted, bear of a guy who loved a good story and an even better hug. You’d picture him leaning over his drawing table, chewing on a cigar, worn cowboy boots tapping to whatever music accompanied his work and remember the faint smell of aftershave in the morning and a hint of pipe tobacco in the afternoons. Or maybe hear his long whistle at the end of the day, calling his kids home. Or the amazement of little kids who stared up at his tall frame and white-bearded chin and thought he was truly Santa Claus. He loved cooking and his cooking shows, his books (anything New Mexico), all kinds of music (especially the old country classics), hanging out on a Saturday with a cocktail at the Elks and watching his beloved Angles or the PGA Seniors tour. And mostly, he loved family. He came alive when he was around his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and reveled in any big party that included his extended family of nieces and nephews. Give the man a bowl of Posole and his family around him and he was a happy guy.

James was a cowboy at heart.  Born in Rye, Colorado in 1936, the youngest of three boys, he spent the early part of his childhood in Pueblo, Colorado before his father moved the family to Long Beach, California at the age of 6. He still spent many summers back in Colorado with his mother, Bertha, enjoying pastimes that included bull riding, cattle herding and fly fishing. In California, where he lived with his father, Luis, he worked a paper route and alongside his dad in the butcher shop. He spent his high school years at Long Beach Polytechnical, graduating, and meeting Theresa through close friends. They married in 1958 and remained happily for 55 years before she passed in 2013. Together they had five kids, ten grandchildren and now five great grandchildren with one more on the way. Their bond was unbreakable, but he made one promise to her that he would not fall apart when she was gone. Despite a seven-year-battle with Parkinson’s Disease, he kept that promise with an upbeat attitude and that glint of a cowboy dream in his heart for another ten years.

As a Steel Detailer and Draftsman for over 50 years, he was involved in the structural aspects of many of Orange and Los Angeles County’s iconic buildings including Disneyland’s Matterhorn, the very first tubular steel roller coaster in the world, and Christ’s Cathedral. His mastery of elaborate handrails and stairs became his signature calling.

James' spirit lives on his children and their spouses – David (Jeannie), Virginia, Jim (Karen), Tom (Michelle) and Paul (Michelle) – grandchildren – Zac, Shannon, David, Shane (Danielle), Cole (Dakota), Jonathon, Ashlyn (Connor), Carly, Emma and Audrey – and  great-grandchildren – Elijah, Nixon, Easton, Everett,  Knox,  and  … to be continued…

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