James Robert Hemmesch, 86, passed away at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska on January 3, 2017 from complications suffered after a heart attack several days after Christmas. James was born on June 19, 1930 in Valley City, ND and moved to Anchorage, Alaska in July of 1950. James worked for John Step Friendly Ford for several years after arriving in Anchorage. He then took a position with Anchorage Chrysler Center managing the automotive parts department for almost twenty years. He then went to work for JCPenny's where he worked as a sales associate and named west coast sales associate of the year prior to retiring from the company.James was preceded in death by his wife Francis Marie in 2007 and is survived by his two sons James Robert Hemmesch II, Kyle Mark Hemmesch (Katherine Hemmesch); three grandchildren Eden Jessikah and Nikolas Hemmesch; and one great granddaughter Olivia Rose.A visitation will be held at Janssen's Evergreen Memorial Chapel, 737 E Street in Anchorage on Thursday, January 12, 2017 from 2-4pm.James briefly served in the U.S. Marine Corp's where he was honorably discharged do to a medical condition. James enjoyed Anchorage since the time he moved here in 1950. He enjoyed the seasons and he had a strong automotive mechanical aptitude and enjoyed working on and restoring vehicles. During his employment with Chrysler he assisted with his personal dump truck in the rebuilding of downtown 4th avenue after the 1964 earthquake. During that time of assistance, he had the opportunity of taking many photographs of the devastation both local and around the state. He had the intentions of writing a book about the earthquake and publishing it. That being unaccomplished, the family will take on that task in his memory.