James Leon Kile

James “Jim” Leon Kile joined his wife, Janae Kile on August 25th, 2026, in Sandpoint, Idaho. Janae had passed on before him in December of 2021. We imagine she met him with a heavenly farm prepared, and decades of beloved dogs, cats, horses and cattle gone before, just waiting for him to join them.

Jim was the youngest of eight children born to Elmer and Beulah Kile in Sandpoint on September 11th, 1944. He was preceded in death by his parents and seven siblings, Virginia Foote, Floyd Kile, Hazel Ramsey, Betty Jeanne Geiss, Benny Kile, Leonard Kile, and Alyce Wallace and by two beautiful granddaughters, Helena Kile and Carissa Kile.

Jim graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1962 and married Janae Rhodes in 1963. They lived in Sagle and on the Kile family farm for a few years before moving to the Ritzville, WA area. Jim worked on a ranch there, raising cattle and wheat and his enjoyment of the work of a cowboy, riding and herding cattle on a big scale were times he often reminisced fondly over the years. Jim and Janae lived and farmed several places in Bonner County, before settling back on a parcel Elmer and Beulah had homesteaded back in the 1930s. Horses, cattle and the farm were Jim and Janae’s shared passion.

Jim loved working the farm, and at times talked about the days when he was a boy in Sagle. In those days his family put up hay, loose, with a pitchfork and a wagon drawn by the farm horses, Lady and Babe. He had many other good memories of hijinks and mayhem with his cocker spaniel, Jeff, and his brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews, during their early years in Sagle.

He enjoyed running heavy equipment and the tasks each season of farming in north Idaho demanded. Over the 58 years of marriage, Jim and Janae enjoyed playing cards with friends, fishing, camping, riding horses, ATVs and motorcycles.

Jim and Janae had three children, Janice Kile, Benny Kile and Michelle Guinard and nine grandchildren, as well as many great grandchildren, all loved. Their many nieces and nephews were very special to them as well- friends and cohorts, as much as family.

No service is planned. Their wishes were that their remains be spread together in places special

to them. Jim lived a long and good life. Happy Trails, Cowboy.