James R. Dammon
West Lafayette - James R. Dammon, 75, passed away February 17, 2019 in his home. His 16 year long struggle with motor neuron disease ended peacefully with family by his side.
Jim was born on May 17, 1943 in Lafayette. He was the son of the late Clarence and Mildred Dammon. He graduated from West Lafayette High School and then from Purdue University in 1966 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. On December 27, 1969 he married Marilynn Bottomley and she survives.
In 1966, right after college, he took a job as a design engineer at Fairfield Manufacturing Company and began a 42 year career with the company. From 1988 - 2008, he was Vice President of Engineering. Jim and his team of engineers designed and Fairfield manufactured the gearing for heavy equipment vehicles, mining trucks, off shore oil rigs, and wind turbines. He has 5 patents in his name, and in 1990, he developed a computer program for gear design that was used world-wide. When he retired in 2008, the new Research and Development Lab at Fairfield was dedicated to him.
In honor of their fathers, Jim and Marilynn made a deferred gift to Purdue University in 2003 that endowed the Dammon Dean's Scholars Program in the School of Liberal Arts and the Bottomley Scholars Program in the School of Mechanical Engineering. Both programs give outstanding undergraduate students a stipend and an opportunity to do research with full professors.
After retirement, Jim designed websites for individuals, nonprofits, and small businesses. Together with Marilynn, they owned and operated Kings Hill Stable, a dressage and boarding stable north of Lafayette. He was an excellent pilot with multi-engine and instrument ratings. Jim loved to water ski and was bare footing until he was 60 years old.
Surviving are his sister, Kathie (Neil) Michels of Prior Lake, MN; sister in law, Linda Monahan of West Lafayette, IN; nieces, Heather (Andrew) Aceves of Export, PA, Vanessa (Dave) Penland of Elizabethton, TN, Ellen (Matt) Riebsomer of West Lafayette, IN, Meara Bottomley of West Lafayette: and nephew, Scott (Krista) Anderson of Stillwater, MN.
Memorial visitation will be at Hippensteel Funeral Home in Lafayette on Friday, February 22, 2019 from 5:00 - 7:00pm. A private family memorial service will precede the visitation.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dammon Dean's Scholars Program in the College of Liberal Arts or the Bottomley Scholars Program in the School of Mechanical Engineering. Checks should be made payable to the Purdue Foundation and sent to the Dammon Dean's Scholars Program or the Bottomley Scholars Program, 403 West Wood Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2007.
Please watch a short video of Jim's life in photos on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/L-56iT_He7w
West Lafayette - James R. Dammon, 75, passed away February 17, 2019 in his home. His 16 year long struggle with motor neuron disease ended peacefully with family by his side.
Jim was born on May 17, 1943 in Lafayette. He was the son of the late Clarence and Mildred Dammon. He graduated from West Lafayette High School and then from Purdue University in 1966 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. On December 27, 1969 he married Marilynn Bottomley and she survives.
In 1966, right after college, he took a job as a design engineer at Fairfield Manufacturing Company and began a 42 year career with the company. From 1988 - 2008, he was Vice President of Engineering. Jim and his team of engineers designed and Fairfield manufactured the gearing for heavy equipment vehicles, mining trucks, off shore oil rigs, and wind turbines. He has 5 patents in his name, and in 1990, he developed a computer program for gear design that was used world-wide. When he retired in 2008, the new Research and Development Lab at Fairfield was dedicated to him.
In honor of their fathers, Jim and Marilynn made a deferred gift to Purdue University in 2003 that endowed the Dammon Dean's Scholars Program in the School of Liberal Arts and the Bottomley Scholars Program in the School of Mechanical Engineering. Both programs give outstanding undergraduate students a stipend and an opportunity to do research with full professors.
After retirement, Jim designed websites for individuals, nonprofits, and small businesses. Together with Marilynn, they owned and operated Kings Hill Stable, a dressage and boarding stable north of Lafayette. He was an excellent pilot with multi-engine and instrument ratings. Jim loved to water ski and was bare footing until he was 60 years old.
Surviving are his sister, Kathie (Neil) Michels of Prior Lake, MN; sister in law, Linda Monahan of West Lafayette, IN; nieces, Heather (Andrew) Aceves of Export, PA, Vanessa (Dave) Penland of Elizabethton, TN, Ellen (Matt) Riebsomer of West Lafayette, IN, Meara Bottomley of West Lafayette: and nephew, Scott (Krista) Anderson of Stillwater, MN.
Memorial visitation will be at Hippensteel Funeral Home in Lafayette on Friday, February 22, 2019 from 5:00 - 7:00pm. A private family memorial service will precede the visitation.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dammon Dean's Scholars Program in the College of Liberal Arts or the Bottomley Scholars Program in the School of Mechanical Engineering. Checks should be made payable to the Purdue Foundation and sent to the Dammon Dean's Scholars Program or the Bottomley Scholars Program, 403 West Wood Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2007.
Please watch a short video of Jim's life in photos on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/L-56iT_He7w
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