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247 North Broadway, Turlock, CA 95380

James H. Barstow   August 20, 1940 - September 2, 2019

James H. Barstow  

1940 – 2019

Jim was born 8-20-40 in Waldoboro, ME, the son of Faustina Sidelinger and Wilson Barstow. He grew up in Woolwich, ME, graduated from Morse High School, Bath, ME in 1958.

In 1959 he entered the USAF where, after training, he was stationed at Castle Air Force Base, Atwater, CA as a Crew Chief on the  F-106 Fighter Planes in the 456 Squadron. After discharge from the military, he worked for the Paul Harrison Almond Hull Company where he met and married his first wife Sandra Hammersten.   His first son William Marshall Barstow was born in 1963.  

In 1966, Jim started his own almond hull processing business on the Turlock Municipal Airport at Ballico. In 1969, he married Karen Ewing of Merced .  He served as manager of the airport for the City of Turlock for many years and was a private pilot.  

 Jim was an entrepreneur:  he designed equipment and built a business called Golden Fuel to produce woody fuel from almond orchard prunings, a business which thrived until the deregulation of electricity in CA shut down the 42 plants which had been built to burn agricultural and forest by products and urban biomass. In the mid 90’s, he became a scrap tire processor converting waste tires into finished products.  From the mid 70’s Jim was also a farmer, producing almonds in the Cortez/Ballico area.

Jim developed and ran California Independent Almond Growers from 1983 to 2002 processing almonds for a group of local growers. The Barstows travelled internationally to do food shows marketing almonds through the California Dept of Food And Ag Export program.   Friendships were developed with customers from many different countries who then visited in their home in Ballico.

Jim was an active community leader, coaching baseball and softball for Ballico Recreation, a leader in Ballico Boy Scout Troop 32, as well as in Girl Scouts. For many years, he led local Boy & Girl Scouts on high country backpacking trips in the High Sierras, including many ascents to the top of Half Dome.   He was an active supporter in Livingston High School FFA and sports programs where he frequently put on Thursday night BBQ for the football teams and coaches to review films.   

He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings:  Kenneth Wright, Chester Wright, and Jane Barstow Barton. He leaves his wife Karen of 50 years, sons Bill Barstow, Brett (Amber) Barstow and daughter Jana (Rob) Nairn.  He leaves ten grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life followed by lunch will be held Sat Oct 26, 2019 at 11:00 am at Monte Vista Chapel, Turlock. In lieu of flowers the family suggests: Covenant Care at Home Hospice, Turlock;  Monte Vista Chapel Hospitality; or plant a tree in his memory at Ballico/Cressey School.

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Condolences(4)

  1. Thor Bailey says

    I am very sorry to hear of Jim’s passing. In the early 1980’s I had the good fortune to work with Jim and family managing Golden Fuel operations. Jim was a unique solutions pioneering innovator. Golden Fuel was instrumental in developing California’s only almond grower supported, vertically integrated collection, reduction and fuel distribution system. Jim was one of a kind mentor to many and down to earth great person!

  2. Mike Blaine says

    My condolences to Karen, Brett and Jana. Jim was always one of my favorite acquaintances. He was kind, funny, strong and influential. I will miss him.

  3. AM says

    Sorry to never have gotten the chance to meet him, the world has lost a great man!

  4. Gail MItchell says

    Jim was an amazing man. I had the pleasure of working for the Barstow’s for almost 15 years. Jim was a bigger than life person. Jim worked hard every single day and if the piece of equipment didn’t exist, he would invent it. I was in awe of his abilities and it was a pleasure to work for him.

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