Jorgensen remembered for service to Blaine community

Former Port of Bellingham commissioner, Blaine science teacher, fisherman and community leader Jim Jorgensen died June 8. He was 83. 

During his 60 years in Blaine, Jorgensen initiated the building of Blaine Marine Park, oversaw Whatcom County development, co-founded a birding festival and taught science to thousands of middle and high schoolers.

Jorgensen was born in Spokane and graduated from Enumclaw High School. He graduated from Western Washington State College with a bachelor’s degree in education. 

In 1963, he started teaching at Blaine Middle School. After five years, he moved to Blaine High School where he taught various high school science courses, including geology, ornithology and astronomy, for 25 years. 

Jorgensen ran his own salmon charter business during the summer for 40 years out of the Blaine marina. He took former professional golfer Arnold Palmer – who was in town for the dedication of Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club – out in 1987 to catch a 27-pound Chinook salmon. He also taught classes to local fishermen around the same time. 

In the same year, Jorgensen proposed the idea to build a park in the area that is now Blaine Marine Park to Blaine City Council. He organized a committee and secured grant funding for its construction. 

Jorgensen ran for Port of Bellingham commissioner in 1994 after retiring from teaching. He was elected and served three four-year terms, where he oversaw Bellingham International Airport’s expansion project and helped secure funding to clean up Bellingham’s waterfront district. 

Port executive director Rob Fix said in a statement that Jorgensen’s love for learning and teaching made him a great leader.

“He cared deeply for the environment and served on the commission during a critical time period when generational decisions were being made in Blaine and Bellingham about how to best overcome a legacy of heavy industrial contamination,” Fix said.

Jorgensen helped to establish the Wings Over Water Northwest Birding Festival, which began in 2003 under the name Washington Brant Festival.

He also spent several decades trying to build a marine education and resource center in Blaine Harbor. He raised $450,000 for the center, according to previous reporting from The Northern Light, but the project never came to fruition and the funding organization folded in 2006. Community organizers are now trying to revitalize the project and secure grant funding for a feasibility study.

In 2016, the Port of Bellingham renamed the pier at the west end of Marine Drive, formerly the Blaine End Pier, after him to honor his 12 years of service to the port and citizens of Whatcom County. Jorgensen also received a lifetime achievement award from the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2019.

“[He] helped give the port commission and port staff the courage to step forward and lead efforts to clean up historic contamination, restore salmon habitat, rebuild our waterfront economy and improve public access to the water,” Fix said. “Jim’s impact as a port commissioner will last forever and he will be missed.”

Jorgensen enjoyed fishing, golfing and hunting – hobbies he had to give up late in life when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and post-polio syndrome. He continued to participate in Wings Over Water after his diagnosis.