St. George, UT - James Roland Shanks left this mortal life August 4, 2010 due to cancer. Throughout his life he was known as Jim or Roland. Roland was the name most commonly used by family and close friends. He was born May 11, 1931 in Southern California to Wesley James Shanks and Ethel Gormley. He lived most of his life in Southern California except for after his retirement, he lived in Harrison, Arkansas for about 10 years; later moving back to California. Roland was a quiet, unassuming man, courteous and always a true gentleman and scrupulously honest. The world has lost a very special man with his passing. During the Korean War he served in the U.S. Army in Japan. Shortly after his release from the Army, he married his sweetheart Patricia Jean Connor on August 7, 1953 and raised their three children: Carol, Wes and Jerry in Southern California, attending the Lutheran Church. As a family, they enjoyed many camp outs and the swimming pool in their backyard. He also enjoyed keeping a beautiful yard and one year even won a prize for having the most beautiful yard in their neighborhood. Roland enjoyed beautiful music, reading, history and was a WWII and Civil War buff. He also loved math, played math games on the computer, worked on math puzzle books and was even teaching himself calculus. He worked for MGM and Universal Studios doing special effects. Just to name a few, he worked on Jaws, The Sting, and many, many TV shows we all enjoyed watching, such as Marcus Welby, M.D., Kojak and The Rockford Files ....... too many to recall or enumerate, After his retirement, he and Pat traveled the country extensively in their RV and visited many historical sites. He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Wesley; and his first wife, Pat. She passed away not long after they had moved to St. George. He was lost and lonely without Pat, but happiness walked into his life when he met Lisa and her little Yorkie, Toby. Toby had Roland wrapped around his little paw in no time. Roland and Lisa were married on February 14, 2007. He is survived by wife, Lisa; children, Carol Hunsaker (Greg), Wesley K. Shanks (Laura) and Gerald Shanks; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild; special brother-in-law, Jack Connor and his wife Chris; and several nieces. He will also be greatly missed by Lisas family who had grown to love him and called him Grandpa Roland and Uncle Roland. Services and interment will follow later in Silverton, Oregon. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, (435) 673-4221. Please visit our website at www.metcalfmortuary.com for condolences, complete obituary and funeral listings. Special thanks to all the angels that were involved in his care.....the many Doctors, Jeri and Will from Dixie Home Rehab, Coral Desert Rehab, Brian, Carol and Blain from Applegate Hospice, and the wonderful staff at Kolob Care Center. You have been truly wonderful and thank you, thank you so much for your care and compassion.