By Cara Cowan Watts | Cherokee 411
February 12, 1941 – August 18, 2026
Verdigris, Oklahoma
Cherokee Nation Citizen
Jimmie “Jim” Lee Isham left this life, surrounded by family and friends, on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. A Funeral Ceremony will be held at 11:00 a.m, Friday, August 21, 2026, at the First Baptist Church in Verdigris.
His family spent many years just outside of Vian. In the 1960s, the family moved to California. Jim graduated from high school there and kept in touch with members of his graduating class at Delano High School. The family eventually moved back to Oklahoma. He moved to Tulsa, where he continued his education while studying bookkeeping.
Jim was struck by polio at a very young age and endured many operations on his legs and feet. He never let it stop him from engaging in sports. As an adult, he could be seen playing a game of horse, hitting pop flies, or playing a round of golf.
Jim was one of the friendliest people you could ever meet. To paraphrase Will Rogers, Jim never met a person who didn’t like him. An extrovert by heart, he made many friends over the years. He could always be seen conversing with just about everyone he came in contact with. Waitresses, waiters, doctors and nurses, regular folk all came to like him in an instant. And as a matter of fact, when he had a recent birthday party at a local restaurant, it was filled to the brim with guests.
A long-time bachelor, he married his first wife, Joanne, in 1976. Years later, he adopted her two children, Barry and Melissa, giving them his last name. His wife died in April of 1994 of cancer. For the next several years, Jim lived alone as a widower. He would eventually find love again with his second wife, Mung. The two married in August 2008. They were together until his death nearly 18 years later.
He is survived by his wife; children, Barry Isham, Melissa Freeman, Quynh Nhu Nguyen; grandchildren, Olivia Marcotte, Koleson Freeman, Ashley Isham, Cody Isham, Tai Nguyen, Binh Phuong Nguyen, Ho Anh Tuan; and 4 great-grandchildren. He will always be remembered, having entered the hearts of a great many people; many of them are here today to celebrate his life.
