Lifelong Bainbridge resident James Oswald Quitslund died May 29, four days short of his 90th birthday.

He was “born in a clothes basket” on the family homestead at Port Madison on June 2, 1915, the fifth of five children to Johann Olaf and Sigrid Wilhalmina (Petterson) Quitslund.

He began his formal education in a two-room school on the tip of the hill above Frog Rock. This is where he met his first love — his teacher, Ms. McGregor.

He graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1933. He followed his brother Ford to Washington State College, earning a degree in business administration. His sister Marguerite went there as well.

He was a great Cougar fan, always wearing either a Cougar hat or sweatshirt.

He served in the Army in England during World War II as a finance director and helped establish the accounting program for Headquarters European Theater of Operations.

He liked to tell how he was responsible for transporting large bags of money just after the war ended.

Following the war, he returned to work as a food broker for Pacific Fruit and Produce, where he worked for 25 years. His start in the food business was as a “swamper” on his brother Ford’s grocery delivery route to summer homes in the Agate Point area, from the store in Port Madison.

He went on to buy the Rytak Corporation, Inc., a Swedish hardtack that he remembered eating out of a big barrel as a young boy.

He was a president of the Bainbridge Island Saddle Club and was instrumental in the development of the horse trails in Manzanita Park for the Pony Club. A sign reads “Quitslund Cross Country” at the start of the course.

He was a guest columnist for the Bainbridge Review, a member of the Bainbridge Island Historical Society, and a past member of the Bainbridge Municipal League.

While his daughters were in school, he often volunteered. He designed and built the first cooking and woodworking carts that were used at Wilkes and Ordway.

He was very interested in preserving island history, and was in the process of recording his life experiences.

He was an elder at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church, and loved his boat “Time Enuf.”

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Vivian (Hancock Alderson); his daughters Pam Quitslund Halversen (Dana), Penny Young (Steve), Nancy Cross (Brian), and Jeanne Bastiani (Scott); eight grandchildren, Chris, Alisha, Cindy, Corey, Ashley, Tristan, Isabella and Tessa; and six great-grandchildren, Michalia, Darien, Dominic, Gennissa, Ilhana and Alaric.

There will be a family gathering for interment at Kane Cemetery; a memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. June 29 at Rolling Bay Presbyterian.

Remembrances can be made to the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum or the Bainbridge Island Fire Department.

Arrangements are under the direction of Kass Funeral Home.