James R. Hastings, of LaGrange, passed away while at home on Sunday, November 9, 2014. Jim was born and lived most of his life in the LaGrange area. The family was involved in the early settlement of LaGrange. Jim, his parents, three daughters as well as his three grandsons all graduated from LaGrange High School, now known as Keystone. Jim served on the school board for 16 years and was president four times. He attended Hemphill Diesel Engineering School in Detroit after high school. He passed the tests for Aviation Cadet in 1942 and was called to active duty October 21, 1943. While in the Air Corps he attended Michigan State University. He was honorably discharged December 8, 1945. After the war he was employed by Bendix Westinghouse in Engineering, Service and Marketing. He was a fifty year plus member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, during which period he twice served as Chairman of the Cleveland Section and occasionally on the heavy vehicles committee of the National Safety Council in Washington, D.C. He retired from Bendix in 1980. He was active in the Masons, a 70 plus year member of the LaGrange Masonic Lodge, Oberlin Chapter Royal Arch Masons and Cleveland Chapter Ancient Scottish Rite. He was past Master of LaGrange Lodge 399 and past Presiding Officer of the Rose Croix body of Scottish Rite. He was the first ever District Deputy Grand Master and first ever 33rd degree Mason from the LaGrange Lodge. Survivors include his wife, Ramona Carmen Hastings; three daughters, Jarith H. (Alfred) Geen of LaGrange, Claudis H. (Dennis) Dulmage of Virginia and Susan Hastings of Reno, Nevada; three grandsons, one granddaughter, one great grandson and two step-sons. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ford and Zola (nee Spicer) Hastings; Agnes Tiser Hastings, in 1996, to whom he was married for 55 years; and a sister, Lora Davis. There will be a showing on Friday, November 14, 2014 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Wellington, 127 Park Place, where Masonic services will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 15, followed by a funeral service. A Masonic graveside service will take place immediately afterwards at River Road Cemetery in LaGrange.

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