June 28, 1933 – October 11, 2025

On Saturday, October 11, 2025, James Floyd Pendergraft of Osoyoos passed away peacefully after a long and fulfilling life. He is predeceased by his brothers Gerald and Ron; his daughter Kim; his parents Ted and Bea; and his partner Donna Neuparth. James is survived by his sons Dean, Kevin and Brandon.

James, often referred to as Jim or Jimmy, graduated from SOSS in 1952, during which time he was a sprinter/runner for the track team. His first job was riding horses for ranch pioneer Val Haynes.

After graduating from high school, Jim and his younger brother Gerald planted about six acres of tomatoes and made enough money to buy their new 1956 Ford flat deck truck. The same year, Jim and Gerald joined their father and started Ted Pendergraft & Sons cattle ranch and farm, which Ron later joined. Jim worked hard in these early years logging, prop making and harvesting Christmas Trees. Over the years, the company bought and developed farm and ranch land around Osoyoos.

After the partnerships dissolved, Jim continued to build and work his cattle ranch. He also ran a cherry orchard. His business ventures provided work for many over the years.

In 2017, he dealt with Nature Conservancy of Canada to facilitate the creation of the Osoyoos Oxbows – Ted Pendergraft and Sons Conservation area; a lasting legacy to his family. One can still see the drainage ditches by the walkway that were dug by him and others back in the 1970s on Road 22, he even managed to wear out a backhoe!

For many years he was a proud member of the Blue Sage Riders and Desert Park Racetrack, and enjoyed raising racehorses and training wild horses. He also belonged to the Osoyoos Curling Club and the Osoyoos Irrigation District.

In his free time, Jim loved to hunt, fish, and play cribbage. He was heavily interested in gold panning, prospecting and the history of mineral and gold claims in the area. He would happily drag anyone willing to accompany him out to explore old mine shafts, using decades old maps as a guide. He was also a bit of an inventor, coming up with creative solutions to make his daily life easier. Jim had an amazing sense of humour and enjoyed telling jokes and stories to his family and friends.

Condolences and tributes can be extended to the family by visiting www.nunes-pottinger.com