James Pehl (72) of Fresno, CA passed away on February 5, 2024 in his daughter's home, surrounded by his beloved family.

The life of any party, Jim was invariably ready to laugh and have fun.  He loved working on cars, meeting people, and traveling in his Tiffin motorhome with his wife of 50 years, Kathy.  Jim was also a fun and dedicated dad to their two children.  He was up for anything, whether that be helping his kids move, rescuing them from the side of the road in a broken-down car, or getting dragged along to an academic event in an exotic place.  Naturally, he was the wild and jolly grandpa, who loved roughhousing in the pool, fixing and building things, and adventuring outdoors.

Born in Southern California to Dick and Verna Pehl, Jim was the oldest of four children.  Growing up on a lemon ranch in Upland, he was the ringleader in many escapades and remained close to his siblings throughout his life.

Jim attended Cal Poly Pomona as an Ag Business major.  After graduating in 1973, he married Kathy and moved to the Fresno area, where he started his long career in the agriculture industry.  Jim was a dedicated salesman, who loved attending tradeshows, traveling, and generally causing a raucous.  For the last 20 years of his working life, he sold pistachios for Keenan Farms and retired in 2018.

Jim is survived by his wife Kathy; his children Curtis Pehl and wife Grace, and Christa Pehl Evans and husband Ryan; his three siblings Ann Thomson, Beth Gasser, and John Pehl; and nine grandchildren.