James Wendell Varner was born in Orland, California on June 6, 1930, to Jacob and Iva Varner.  He grew up on a ranch west of town. He attended Murdock Country School and Orland High School graduating in 1948.  After graduation he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served his country for 22 years working as an airplane mechanic and flight engineer. One career highlight was being assigned to the support missions for the Apollo Moon Landing Program. His first assignment was at Pepperrell Air Force Base, St. John's Newfoundland, where he met and fell in love with Jennie Piercey. They married and returned to the United States where they raised six children together. As a military family they were stationed in Oklahoma, Tennessee, Spain and Florida. Upon retirement he returned to Orland where he intended to take over the family ranch.  Fate would have other plans, and he began working for his cousin, Bill Boot, as a big rig mechanic.  Eventually he went to work as a mechanic for the County of Glenn where he maintained county vehicles. He retired after 10 years.

He was a wonderful man we were so honored to call husband & father.  He was incredibly smart, could fix most anything, had a quiet humor and the softest heart! He passed peacefully at home the morning of May 6, 2022, with his loving wife of 69 years and most of his children at his side. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Tracy Troxel, and his sister, Dorothy Stripe. He is survived by his wife Jennie, children Sam Varner (Lynn), Nancy Cesa (Manuel), Vicky Francis (Bob), Jeff Varner (Kathy) & Donna Grundy (Ron), sisters Marles DeKeyser, Ida Haldorson and Meta St. Louis, 20 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, 1 great great grandchild and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was a month short of his 92nd birthday, but he would often tell us he was 100! No services are planned, but we will lovingly celebrate his "100 ^th " birthday as a family!