North Las Vegas legacy James Seastrand’s efforts live on

Focus. Attention to detail. Humor. Integrity.

James Seastrand was a man invested in his beliefs in God, family and country.

He served for 16 years as mayor of North Las Vegas and more than 20 years on the City Council. During that time, the citys population more than doubled.

The 68-year-old was a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The American Fork, Utah, native was a Mormon chaplain in the U.S. Air Force. Nevada honored him in 1990 as the Public Official of the Year.

He touched the lives of many people, one of whom wrote about his encounter with Seastrand, the namesake of the 22-acre James K. Seastrand Park, 6330 Camino Eldorado Blvd.

According to a 2008 post on mormon
mission.blogspot.com: He was a small man, who was thin. He had brown hair. he had piercing blue eyes. He looked like more of a professor than a business man. He was a cheerful person that liked people. He wore metal rimmed glasses that had small frames. He wore nice business suits with conservative ties. He had a strong handshake and would talk to you with his hand on your shoulder or a pat on the back. He had a natural talent for putting people at ease.

Seastrand died in 1997 after collapsing during a religious conference at the Las Vegas Bahai Center. At the time, his family told the Las Vegas Review-Journal it was a fitting end. Seastrand was deeply religious, expressing his faith in several ways.

He also is the namesake for James Seastrand Helping Hands of North Las Vegas, 3640 N. 5th St., Suite 130. The group was established in 1998. His wife, Rosel Seastrand, decided to keep her husbands memory alive by providing seniors with the same support and resources her husband provided years earlier. After her death, the Rosel Seastrand Arts Foundation was created to help continue funding Helping Hands of North Las Vegas, according to jshhnlv.org.

James Seastrand had served as bishop, president of the North Las Vegas Stake, a regional representative of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and chairman of the Las Vegas Temple Committee. He was the mission leader for his ward at the time of his death.

At that time, James Seastrands sons, Russell and Scott, told stories of full dinner tables almost every night. There was always an open place for visitors.

As mayor, Seastrand helped initiate Make a Difference Day, in which city employees ventured into the community for service work.

Jim was born well, lived well and died at the will of a loving, heavenly Father, his older brother, Gareth Seastrand, told the Review-Journal in November 1997.

Contact Downtown and North Las Vegas View reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@viewnews.com or 383-0492.