James V. Mohatt, 64, passed away quietly Sunday night with his wife Maureen at his side, and with the fireworks he always enjoyed exploding in the background. He was surrounded by the love of his wife, daughter, family, and friends throughout his brief and valiant fight against a rapidly growing brain tumor.

Jim was born December 8, 1939, in Corvallis, OR, to George V. and Marianne Weikel Mohatt and was raised in Spokane, W A, where he attended Gonzaga Prep, and Boise, ID, where he graduated from St Teresa's. He loved animals and the outdoors, and was not above organizing his friends into wearing shorts, in lieu of their official school uniforms, on the last day of school. He joined the army after graduation from high school in 1958 and then earned a BA in Biological Sciences from Eastern Washington University. A life. long athlete and sportsman, he played football in high school and was a varsity swimmer in college. He was commissioned an officer in the Army Chemical Corps upon graduation.

Jim met Maureen ''Mo'' Mallon when they were both doing undergraduate work at Eastern; they were married June 20, 1964, and embarked on a life together spanning several cross-country moves before landing in Richland in 1979. They moved first to Fayetteville, NC, where Jim was stationed at Fort Bragg and Maureen taught high school art. They then moved to Port Angeles, W A where Jim was a county Sanitation Engineer and in 1967 to Seattle, where he was an Industrial Hygienist at the University of Washington. There he earned his MPA in Public Health in 1972. Heading east again, Mo and Jim moved to Bloomington, IN, where Jim was Associate Director of Environmental Health and Safety for Indiana University and Maureen added another high school to her growing experience. A new baby, Anne Danielle, added a welcome third to their family with her arrival in 1977. The ''Princess”, unequivocally, was his pride and joy.

Returning west in 1979, Jim began acquiring his well-regarded expertise in matters of environmental and occupational health and safety throughout the Tri-Cities region, and Mo embarked on a long career teaching art at Hanford High School. Jim worked at Rockwell, Westinghouse Hanford, Battelle, and elsewhere, as well as serving as Chief of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Science Officer for the Army at the rank of full Colonel. He received the DrPH in Environmental Health from the University of Oklahoma in 1982. Most recently, his consulting business, JVM and Associates, provided expertise in waste processing, sanitary engineering, and health and safety planning regionally and at the Hanford site. His unpretentious manner camouflaged an extensive knowledge of his field, and he was deeply respected by all who worked with him. He was a loyal friend and a wise mentor to younger colleagues as well as a dedicated and exacting scientist.

Throughout these many journeys and accomplishments Jim stayed in close touch with. family members, who were always central to his life. He was devoted to Maureen and to his daughter Annie, and was also a beloved and generous brother, son, uncle, and great-uncle. Most often hovering in the background at family gatherings, a fond smile

twitching at the comer of his mouth, Jim was always happiest when he could make his loved ones happy - except of course when he was watching ''The Simpson's'', fondling his pen collection, or taking excited nieces and nephews on an outing to the local landfill. He encouraged his daughter, nieces, and nephews in their education, their love of animals, their family bonds, and their sportsmanship. Jim and Maureen were thrilled to welcome Brad Robinson to the family as Annie's husband in 2002.

Jim is survived by his wife Maureen, daughter Annie Robinson and her husband Brad, mother Marianne, sisters Kathi Gass and Janelle Bittner, sister-in-law Colleen Mallon, and nieces and nephews Andrea their Godchild of unconditional devotion, Damon, Terese, and Jerome, as well as numerous friends and co-workers. He will be sorely missed.

He was preceded in death by his father George Mohatt.

A memorial service will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church in Richland, on Friday, July 9th at 1:00 pm followed by an interment at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Richland. .

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to cancer research at the Hutchinson Cancer Center or the American Cancer Society.