James (Jim) Lee Batt was born May 25, 1944, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Morley Brazier Batt and Minnie Merle Lee Batt. After 18 months of health issues, he passed away January 17, 2025, surrounded by his family. The youngest of 3 children, he was raised in the small farming community of Grant, Idaho. He enjoyed the opportunities that farm life offered such as hunting, fishing, freedom to roam, and learning to drive trucks and tractors at a young age. Jim attended Rigby High School, graduating in 1962. During his junior year, he purchased his first car, a 1931 Model A Ford Tudor sedan. He finally did a ground up restoration on the car after his retirement in 2000. After high school, Jim attended his freshman year at the University of Idaho. After turning 19, he served a 26-month mission to North Argentina for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Upon his return from South America, he enrolled at BYU to continue his education. It was there that he met his eternal companion, Cherilyn Ann Jacobsmeyer. They were married and sealed on June 9, 1967, in the Los Angeles temple. Jim and Cherilyn continued their education at BYU taking turns working and going to school to help each other complete their degrees. Jim received an "invitation" to the Army, so he decided to join so he could have some choice over duty assignments. He began training as a helicopter pilot in Texas, but due to the winding down of the Vietnam war and cutbacks on Warrant Officer Pilots, he elected to attend MP school and spent the remainder of his service in Virginia and Germany. After the service, Jim and Cherilyn began the "work and go to school" routine again. While working for a wholesale food company in Salt Lake, Jim was transferred to their Boise office. After a period of time, the company asked him to move back to Salt Lake, but Jim and Cherilyn decided to make Boise their permanent home, so he began a landscape and custom tractor business with a friend while Cherilyn started teaching elementary school in Star, Idaho. During the winter of 1973, while standing out in the freezing cold selling Christmas trees, to add extra support to the family during the slow winter months, an off-duty Ada County Deputy Sheriff stopped by to purchase a tree. The deputy told Jim he could get a paycheck year-round by becoming a law enforcement officer. Jim went down the next day and applied at the Sheriffs Office. He was sworn in on June 24, 1974, and thus started his 26+ year career with the department. In September of 1975, they were blessed with a baby boy, Jason Kent and in May of 1979, were blessed with Jessica Jayne. He served in many areas of the Ada County Sheriff's Office including patrol, juvenile detectives, civil, training/personnel, and a total of 14 years as a jail commander retiring at the rank of Lieutenant in 2000. In 1985, Jim was selected to attend the 3-month FBI National Academy at Quantico, Virginia where he enjoyed his association with law enforcement officers from all over the US and several foreign countries. With the addition of several credits from Boise State University, Jim finally graduated from BYU with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and law enforcement in 1976. After retirement, Jim got back into the tractor and trucking business as well as driving out of Boise for LB Trucks, delivering lease trucks all over the west and as far east as Wisconsin, Arizona, and New Mexico. He said he really enjoyed burning someone else's fuel and driving empty trucks, so he didn't have to worry about crossing the scales. Jim sold his trucking business in 2008, so that he and Cherilyn could serve an 18-month mission for the church in Tampico, Mexico. Jim remained active in the church throughout his life serving in many callings including the High Council, as a Bishop, a temple worker and one of his most enjoyable, as a councilor in the Bishopric of a Young Single Adult ward. He loved his Heavenly Father with all of his heart, serving him valiantly his whole life and always striving to follow His teachings and being an example to everyone around him. Jim relied on his sense of humor to get him through some of the difficult situations he experienced in the military and law enforcement. He enjoyed making people laugh with clean jokes and stories. Jim's love for cars, trucks, tractors, and especially old cars carried on throughout his life. Before and during his retirement years he restored a model A pickup in addition to his sedan, a 1967 Mustang Fastback as well as a 1972 early Ford Bronco. He was an active member of the Treasure Valley Model A Club for many years and served as the club president for 2 years. His hobbies included working in his wood shop (where he claimed to make some of the best saw dust in the country) and some of his most enjoyable times came from camping, boating and four wheeling with his family and friends. Jim felt a special bond with his grandkids and enjoyed every moment he could spend doing things with each one of them. He especially enjoyed traveling and being with his wife and best friend, Cherilyn. Jim was preceded in death by both parents, Morley Brazier Batt and Minnie Merle Lee Batt; brother, Melvin; sister, Lucille; and grandson, Gavin. He is survived by his wife, Cherilyn of 57 years; son, Jason Batt; daughter, Jessica (Shaun); and 4 grandchildren, Kaisha, Jaxton, Colson, and Parker; along with lots of extended family. A viewing will be held from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm, Wednesday, January 29, 2025, Zeyer Funeral Chapel, 83 N Midland Blvd in Nampa, ID. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, January 30, 2025, at The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints, 8625 S Linder Rd, Kuna, ID. Graveside service will conclude at Idaho Veteran State Cemetery.