James Edward Seeley
Personal
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: June 28, 1917
Date of Death: July 5, 1998
Birth Place: Highland Park, CA
Death Place: Long Beach, CA
James Edward Seeley
SEELEY LEFT LEGACY OF HOT RODS, INTEGRITY
Before he died, James Edward Seeley built a couple of hot rods. The 1965 Mustang and the Ford Torino remain in his driveway, a legacy of his craftsman spirit. Jim, a career engineer and sports enthusiast, died July 5 from heart failure. He was 81. A Long Beach resident for 52 years, Jim was born in Highland Park on June 28, 1917. He graduated from Franklin High School. At 20, Jim worked as a maintenance engineer at Robinson’s department store in Los Angeles. In 1941, at the start of World War II, he joined the Merchant Marine, working his way up from wiper and oiler to first engineer. In 1946, six weeks after he had asked her out on a date to a Monarchs hockey game, Jim married Carol Carr, and they settled in Long Beach. “The date worked out pretty good,” Carol said.
Throughout his life, Jim held many engineering jobs. He worked for Beatty Pecco Cranes and Servair Corp. He decommissioned ships for National Metals and Steel, and worked as a construction engineer for Safeway. He later became a partner in Mechanical Systems and worked there until his partner died, after which he formed his own company, Seeley-Smith Inc. At the time, he designed, drew and installed utility and processing systems for companies such as Challenge Creamery and Beverly Franilla. He also designed boilers and Clean-In-Place systems. He designed stainless steel piping systems for Nissan, Sanwa, Maruchan, Legend Enterprises and Grand Imperial. He also designed and installed engineering equipment for Continental Commodities for 20 years.
His hobbies included music, photography and ham radio, on which he preferred to tinker, not to talk. Jim was a race car fan. On weekends he enjoyed watching races on television. ”If anything but a Ford won the race, he was sick the rest of the week,” Carol said. Along with auto racing, Jim was an avid USC Football fan. “He was so intense when he watched a game. We had season tickets for 30 years.” He worked from 1995 until his death as an engineering consultant for Liquid Separation. Carol knows Jim’s integrity and sense of humor will not be forgotten. “He was always ready to go,” Carol said. “He could lift 500 pounds. He could do everything.”
In addition to his wife, he is survived his daughter, Jean Whelan, and her husband, John, of London, England; three grandchildren, Jacqueline and Eric Mitchell of Long Beach and Yvonne Whelan of London, England; and niece Rowena Essmann. At Jim’s request there will be no services. Ashes will be scattered at sea at a later date. A memorial for family and friends also will be held at a later date.
Published in the Long Beach Press-Telegram (CA) – July 13, 1998
[Grandson of SGS # 2981 – James Edward Jr.; James Edward; James M. (# 2981); James Marcellus/Merseilles (# 1219); David; Enos; David; John; Nathaniel; Robert]
