Howard “Jim” Top was born on Timon Road in Everson on July 1, 1933 to parents Fred and Tena Top. He passed away peacefully at the age of 90 in his Lynden home on Monday morning Feb. 12, 2024.
Jim attended Nooksack Valley High School with the class of 1952, where he made a name for himself as student body president, FFA president, honors society, and as a competitor in multiple sports.
In his youth, he attended Nooksack Valley Reformed Church, and later as an adult, he was a founding member of the Hope Lutheran Church.
He went on to attend Washington State University and graduated with a B.S. in agriculture education. During his time there, he was a member of Alpha Tau Alpha fraternity and the Alpha Zeta Honorary Society. He was also on the dairy judging team and was awarded the Danforth Foundation Fellowship for outstanding Junior. In his fifth year attending WSU he met the love of his life, Lorraine Carstensen.
After graduation in 1956, he joined the National Guard for service in Fort Ord, CA, and Fort Bliss, TX, before being hired at Lynden High School as a teacher. In 1958, he and Lorraine married, beginning their 65 years of loving marriage. Jim had many passions in life. He taught at Lynden High School for 25 years where he spent much of his time teaching vocational agriculture. During his teaching career, he spent time as the coach of track and middle school football, as well as volunteering for 20-plus years as the timer for all at-home basketball games. In addition, he impacted many students by teaching the next generation of farmers. He was proud that his FFA teams helped Lynden win many banners from dairy and beef judging to public speaking and parliamentary procedures.
He also loved to farm. Whether it was raising animals on the Main Street property, clearing land and making hay on the Hannegan farm, or wheat harvest on the Almira family farm for 20 years, he took every advantage he could to spend time farming.
In addition, Jim had a career with the Lynden Fire Department for 32 years, including eight years as chief. He loved living on Main Street so he could beat the other guys to the station. Whenever he heard the siren, no matter what he was doing, he would drop everything and sprint over.
Jim was passionate about boating and salmon fishing, grabbing his pole and lures whenever possible during the season. So many wonderful memories were made with longtime friends and family, chasing the big one in amazing locations around the PNW.
Jim grew up hunting, and instilled this joy in his two sons and several grandchildren. They all shared in many successful deer hunting trips to Eastern Washington over the years, where he was always the first to tag out somehow.
Lorraine and Jim shared a love of traveling – both in the U.S. and abroad. They enjoyed the variety of scenery in several countries, as well as venturing down south as snowbirds, driving their fifth wheel to Palm Springs during the Winter months. While there, they enjoyed socializing with other Lynden snowbird friends and walking the lovely golf courses where Jim couldn’t help himself from collecting whatever lost golf balls they found.
Regardless of the many health challenges towards the end, Jim maintained his incredibly happy disposition, always focusing on living, flashing his bright smile, and sharing that sparkle in his eyes with all those around him.
Family meant a lot to him and he’ll be missed by his wife, Lorraine, his two sons, Phillip and Michael, his grandchildren Phillip, Taylor (Carleigh), Lindsey (Cody), Maggie, and Jacob, as well as great-grandchildren Fiona, Wesley, Luke and Morgan.
A big thank you to Whatcom Hospice and all the caregivers who took such excellent care of Jim.
A celebration of life will be held in honor of Jim Top on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 at the Mt. Baker Rotary Building, 1751 Front St., Lynden.
A full lunch will be served at noon, followed by the remembrance, starting at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Lynden High School Vo-Ag Biotech Center, 1201 Bradley Road, Lynden, WA 98264.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
