James Benjamin Phipps

James Benjamin Phipps “Jim” 89, longtime Cosmopolis resident and former faculty at Grays Harbor College, passed away March 19, 2026, in Hoquiam, Washington.

Jim was born on Oct. 29, 1936, to Julia and Maurice Phipps in South Dakota and spent his childhood in Spearfish, South Dakota. In eighth grade the family moved to Aberdeen, Washington where he graduated from Weatherwax High School and Grays Harbor College before heading to Washington State University earning a Bachelors degree in Geology.

On Aug. 22, 1959 Jim married his true love and best friend Antoinette Kralevich at St. Mary’s Church in Aberdeen. She passed away November 6, 2024 after 65 years of marriage. After graduating from WSU, Jim and Toni moved directly to Boulder, Colorado where he earned a Masters degree in Geology from the University of Colorado.

In Durango, Colorado Jim worked as an exploration geologist with what would eventually become EXXON Oil and where their kids, Teri and Jay were born. A transfer took them to Corpus Christi, Texas before deciding to leave the oil patch and accepting a teaching position at Mesa College in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Then it was happily back to the Pacific Northwest where he earned a Ph.D in Oceanography and joined the faculty of his final employer Grays Harbor College. Jim retired from teaching at GHC after 34 wonderful years.

In addition to teaching, Jim’s time at GHC included summers consulting on subjects like beach erosion, Chehalis River quality, Dungeness crab populations and large subduction zone earthquakes. These projects resulted in 40 plus papers and reports, the last one published in his 80th year. They also allowed him to hire GHC students which he loved.

Jim enjoyed the outdoors, enjoying golf, clam digging, fishing, and duck hunting with son and grandson. He and Toni traveled extensively, guest teaching in London for three months, and annual trips to Palm Springs

Jim truly loved his Cosmopolis community, especially the Cosmopolis grade school where he spent 16 years as a board member. Before that, he served years on the City of Cosmopolis planning commission. Jim was a 50+ year member of the Cosmopolis Lions Club, and the Aberdeen Elks club.

Jim is survived by his daughter Teri of Cosmopolis and his son Jay Phipps (Robin) of Olympia; grandchildren Noah and Camryn; in-laws Janet Kralevich Bacon (Bill Bond) and Louis Kralevich; nephews Jared Bacon (Stephanie) and Gary Bacon (Amy); niece Stephanie Campbell (Chris); cousin Michael O’Neill (Kathy); great-niece Isabella Bacon and great-nephew Cooper Campbell as well as cousins in South Dakota .

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 10 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aberdeen with a reception immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the GHC Foundation online at www.ghc.foundation/give or by mail to 1620 Edward P. Smith Dr., Aberdeen, WA 98520.