James Lee Vezina, 78, passed away peacefully on June 21, 2026 at Culver Meadows in Traverse City.

Jim was born May 18, 1948 in Traverse City, Michigan to the late Donald G. Vezina and Marie H. (Moravec) Vezina. Jim attended Immaculate Conception and graduated from St. Francis High School. During his school days he played guitar, and even cut a record with his band in 1965. Jim went on to study at Northwestern Michigan College, after which, an employment opportunity at Timber Lanes Bowling Center in 1969 set him on the path to a lifelong career in the bowling and family entertainment business. After a brief stint at J&G Lanes, he returned to Timber Lanes in 1975, working first as an assistant manager and later as manager. He remained there until his retirement in 2015, after an extraordinary 46-year career in the bowling business.

Along the way, he met countless wonderful people and forged friendships that lasted a lifetime. During the years he spent waiting for bar patrons at the lanes to call it a day (or night!) he would practice his game. He became an accomplished bowler, earning multiple honor scores, including several 300 games and 800 series. One achievement stands above the rest: on September 4, 2006, he rolled games of 279, 300, and 278 for an 857 series, a score that still stands as the all‑time Traverse City Bowling record in league competition.

A shared passion for bowling brought Jan into Jim’s life. In 1986, they began a long journey of life, love, and adventure together. After fifteen years of courtship, they finally decided to make it official, marrying in Lake Tahoe, California, on May 18, 2001. Jim and Jan loved traveling to the national parks out West, and they had a special fondness for exploring Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in search of waterfalls, casinos, diners, drive‑ins, and dives.

Jim treasured the life they built together. He loved kayaking, fishing, and hunting in the beautiful Boardman River Valley; golfing; and playing his guitar for hours. He took great joy in watching Jan work magic in the garden with her flowers and veggies, and in walking Jake, Jigger, and Gunner through the fields and woods surrounding their home on the river.

Jim is remembered as a doting grandfather, a kind stepfather, a fun uncle, a steadfast brother, and a great friend. Those who knew him often said he was a remarkable man who was genuine, generous, and one of a kind.

Family remembers him as handy by nature. He built his home on the Boardman River gradually, starting with a small four‑room structure and adding to it over the years. Later in life, he enjoyed woodworking and crafted beautiful, unique charcuterie boards among many projects for family and friends.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife Jan Vezina, mother Marie, father Don, and son Brian Beeman.

Jim is survived by step-children Angie (Neal) Jones and Josh Stone; granddaughters Chezyrae and Jazlyne Jones; great-grandchildren Harley Rae and Otis Alen; sister Sue Vezina Treitz; niece Meghan Treitz (Mark Lanphier) and nephew Brian (Rebecca) Treitz; great-nieces Liliana, Clara, and Effie, and grand-nephew Joseph.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, June 29, 2026 at eleven o’clock at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, with visitation beginning at ten o’clock. A lunch reception will follow.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Grand Traverse Conservation District.

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