Since early childhood James was very interested in how things were constructed and built and had a love of erector sets, and chemistry sets.

James was hard-working and had a paper-route as a young boy and teenager which enabled him to save money to buy a motorcycle. He was an excellent student and was Salutatorian of his graduating class at San Fernando High School in 1961. He purchased his first car, a 1966 Ford Mustang GT, and still owns this vehicle to this day. He spent years having it renovated back to factory stock precision.

After high school James attended college at UCLA. He gained a Bachelor’s Degree in General Engineering in 1964. He met his future wife Lorraine Clockel in 1965, and they fell in love and married on October 29, 1967 at St. Innocent Eastern Orthodox Church in Encino, California. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary last year on 10/29/2023.

James worked as an Engineer for over 40 years in California, New Jersey and finally Washington State where he retired from The Hanford Nuclear Reservation. James had a love for travel and loved learning about historical places. He had wanderlust and he preferred to travel by car so he could share every nook and cranny of the United States and Canada with his family. Our summer vacations often lasted 3-4 weeks and we would drive across the U.S. and Canada. As his children we saw everything from cave tours, walking on a glacier, seeing historic sites like Gettysburg, Williamsburg, Pilgrim’s Rock, Lobster trap fishing in Maine, and on and on. He especially loved anything to do with ghost towns, and the wild west. He and his brother had planned in their youth and in retirement to search for The Lost Dutchman Mine, but never go to it.

He was an avid gardener and had huge, luscious produce come from his meticulous mulch, watering, and organic methods. Family and friends enjoyed much of his bounty as it was impressive year after year. His daughter paid special attention to his methods and mastered the art of organic gardening herself.

He was excited when he finally became a grandfather as he loved watching Elizabeth Shapley and Ashleigh Hatcher grow up. He has taken great pride in watching them excel in studies and life.

We will all miss him but look forward to being able to reunite with him in heaven. May his Memory be Eternal.

James Edward Shapley is preceded in death by his father Robert Edward Shapley and mother Helena Soperak.

He is survived by his wife of almost 57 years Lorraine Olivia Shapley, his daughter Cathleen Denise Somdahl and her husband Gary Somdahl. His son Brian James Shapley and his wife Windi Shapley. His granddaughters Elizabeth Brianne Shapley and Ashleigh Hatcher, and James brother Serafim Shapley.