12-7-44 (Honolulu) to 4-3-21(Keizer)
Jim was born on December 7, 1944 in Honolulu to Arthur and Louise Varner. He was a graduate of Kalani High School in 1962 and Southern Oregon University in 1968.
He was proud of his many years of community activities and served as President of many organizations including the Honolulu Jaycees, Hawaii State Jaycees, and the Honolulu Executives Association. He especially loved his involvement with Rotary, serving as President of Pearl Harbor Rotary and District Governor for District 5000.
He owned and operated the franchise for the Dale Carnegie Training programs for Hawaii and Guam and enjoyed a 30 year career in sales, management and personal training. He loved speaking to groups of all sizes as well as instructing all of the Carnegie programs. Through his involvement with Rotary and Dale Carnegie he and Nancy enjoyed many trips to Europe, Japan and Australia.
Although his roots were always in Hawaii he started a lifelong love for Oregon while in college in Ashland. He played competitive tennis in high school and college and then golf took over his interests. He and Nancy both became members of Keizer Rotary when they retired and moved to Keizer, overlooking the 4th hole at McNary Golf Course.
Jim is survived by his wife of 50 years, Nancy, brother Jack Petersen in California, sister Barbara Browning in Indiana and brother- in- law Steve Kettelkamp in Missouri as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.
We would like to say thank you for the excellent care he received at Kaiser Permanente and DaVita Dialysis and thanks to Keizer Funeral Home for their assistance.
Celebration of Life service in Honolulu pending for this summer.
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James Edward Varner, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.