Obituary for James Leroy "Jim" Zylstra
James L. (Jim) Zylstra
Jim was born to Earl and Helen Zylstra on June 4th 1930 in Seattle, Washington. He was the eldest of four children. The family moved to Whidbey Island in 1932 and then moved to Tacoma, Washington in 1940.
Jim attended Fern Hill, Stanley McCarver, Lincoln Schools and the College of Puget Sound where he obtained his B. A. in Psychology. He worked his way through school as a camp counselor and swimming instructor. After two years in the Army he went to the University of Washington. As a graduate student, he worked with monkeys, gifted children, brain injured children, delinquent children, juvenile delinquents, families with problem children, people with problems and alcoholics.
After receiving his PhD in clinical psychology, he set up the Tacoma Crisis Phone, was director of the Tacoma/Pierce County Narcotics Center, and was Chief Clinical Psychologist for the Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation. He retired from Washington State Hospital where he had been a ward psychologist and supervising psychologist.
Jim is survived by a sister, June Butler of Chehalis. His sister Joyce Davey and brother Daryl preceded Jim. Jim is survived by three children from his first marriage: Kurt Zylstra of Lake Forest Park, WA; Kim Zylstra Greene of Monte Rio, CA and Karen Kammerer of Tacoma. He has two children from his second marriage: Jay Boespflug and Kimberly Boespflug, both in Tacoma. He has eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Jim died on February 21st, 2023 in Tacoma, WA
Jim was born to Earl and Helen Zylstra on June 4th 1930 in Seattle, Washington. He was the eldest of four children. The family moved to Whidbey Island in 1932 and then moved to Tacoma, Washington in 1940.
Jim attended Fern Hill, Stanley McCarver, Lincoln Schools and the College of Puget Sound where he obtained his B. A. in Psychology. He worked his way through school as a camp counselor and swimming instructor. After two years in the Army he went to the University of Washington. As a graduate student, he worked with monkeys, gifted children, brain injured children, delinquent children, juvenile delinquents, families with problem children, people with problems and alcoholics.
After receiving his PhD in clinical psychology, he set up the Tacoma Crisis Phone, was director of the Tacoma/Pierce County Narcotics Center, and was Chief Clinical Psychologist for the Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation. He retired from Washington State Hospital where he had been a ward psychologist and supervising psychologist.
Jim is survived by a sister, June Butler of Chehalis. His sister Joyce Davey and brother Daryl preceded Jim. Jim is survived by three children from his first marriage: Kurt Zylstra of Lake Forest Park, WA; Kim Zylstra Greene of Monte Rio, CA and Karen Kammerer of Tacoma. He has two children from his second marriage: Jay Boespflug and Kimberly Boespflug, both in Tacoma. He has eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Jim died on February 21st, 2023 in Tacoma, WA