James "Jim" Salwaechter

James Henry (Jim) Salwaechter was born in Enid, OK to Lewis Ernest and Marjorie E. (Bunyan) Salwaechter on December 30, 1928 and passed on April 4, 2024.  Jim lived in Pond Creek OK until age 5 and then moved to Meeker, OK for the remainder of his childhood. He attended Oklahoma A&M (OSU) and completed his undergraduate at Central State College (UCO) and his master’s at Tulsa University.

Jim was proud of his military service as he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict as a tank commander and instructor, earning the rank of Sergeant.  

Jim was married to the love of his life, Marjorie Louise (Ramseyer) Salwaechter for 67 years until her death in 2020.  Jim and Marge were inseparable as a couple and are now happily together again. Jim and Marge loved travelling and visited all 50 states, although admitting to only stepping across the state line on a couple. Their travel was focused on visiting family as they loved to attend as many family celebrations of life as possible.   

Jim loved everything outdoors, fishing, hunting, gardening and collecting almost every type of tool imaginable. His favorite oasis was their cabin at Pettit Bay on Lake Tenkiller where Jim and Marge built a life of memories. They loved hosting family at the lake. Jim taught almost every niece, nephew, and numerous others to either fish, waterski or drive a boat and he enjoyed it all.  Each of them can share many stories of time spent with Uncle Jim and Aunt Marge and will be forever grateful for these memories.

Jim loved to teach. Teaching was his destiny as his dad was superintendent of Meeker Schools and both brothers were also educators. Living his adult life in Tulsa, OK, Jim spent all but 1 year of his teaching career at Productive Bell (Alexander Graham Bell) Junior High where he taught Science, served as a Counselor and 15 years as Assistant Principal. Jim was affectionately nicknamed Salty Cracker and a hallway was named “Salty Cracker Ave” in his honor.  

Jim is predeceased by his parents, and his siblings Robert Salwaechter and Dorothy Mills.

He is survived by his brother, Bill Salwaechter, niece Beth Salwaechter, Beth’s daughter Emma, and sisters-in-law, Rose Marie Leveridge, Claudia Stearman (Doyle) and Phyllis Ramseyer as well as many nieces and nephews who loved Uncle Jim so very much.  

Jim’s life will be celebrated at 11 am on Saturday, April 20 at Smith and Kernke Funeral Home on May Ave. in OKC with burial following at 3 pm at Pond Creek Cemetery in Pond Creek, OK.  

Memorials honoring Jim and Marge can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Shriner’s Hospitals for children, Meals on Wheels, or your favorite charity supporting families and children.