PLACERVILLE, Calif. — James K. “Jim” Veerkamp, a lifelong resident of Placerville whose mechanical skills and work ethic became known throughout El Dorado County, passed away May 28, 2026. He was 91.
Born Sept. 15, 1934, at the Placerville Sanitorium, Veerkamp was the eldest of four sons born to Alice and Maurice Veerkamp. The family initially lived in the Gold Hill area, where he attended Gold Hill Grammar School before continuing his education at Placerville Grammar School.
The Veerkamp family later moved to Elm Street in Placerville after Maurice Veerkamp purchased Pino Vista Dairy on Main Street. Like his brothers, Jim worked at the family dairy, serving customers and delivering ice and dairy products throughout Placerville and along Highway 50 as far as Echo Summit.
Those early years revealed what would become a defining characteristic of his life.
“He grew up seemingly with a wrench in his hand,”
his family recalled.
“He was a natural-born mechanic.”
Veerkamp graduated from El Dorado High School in 1953. Two years later, he married Barbara Wagner of Coloma. Together they welcomed two sons, Doug in 1956 and Brian in 1958.
His professional career reflected the rapid growth and development of El Dorado County during the postwar years. He first worked in construction with Joe Vicini before becoming a heavy equipment mechanic for Peter Kiewit Inc. during construction of Ice House Dam and Union Valley Dam in the Crystal Basin area of the El Dorado National Forest in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
In the mid-1960s, Jim and Barbara opened Veerkamp’s Garage on Lower Main Street in Placerville. The business earned a reputation for repairing cars, trucks and tractors of virtually every make and model. The garage operated successfully until 1973.
When an opportunity arose to return to Joe Vicini Inc., Veerkamp once again answered the call, maintaining heavy equipment and trucks for the company until 1984. Retirement, however, proved short-lived.
Operating from what many locals remember as his blue Ford one-ton service truck, Veerkamp launched a mobile mechanic business that kept him busy throughout the county. Farmers in Apple Hill and ranchers across the region relied on his expertise to keep tractors and equipment operating during critical seasons.
Away from work, family remained at the center of his life. During the motocross racing years of sons Doug and Brian, Jim served as chief mechanic while Barbara supported the team by tracking race positions and results. Together, they created countless memories on race tracks throughout Northern California.
Veerkamp also enjoyed hunting, trout fishing, and classic automobiles. He was a past member of the Hangtown Model A Club and maintained membership in Operating Engineers Local No. 3 for nearly 70 years.
A longtime parishioner of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Veerkamp remained deeply connected to the faith community that had been part of his life for decades.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Alice and Maurice Veerkamp, and his brother, Ken Veerkamp.
He is survived by his wife, Evie Veerkamp; brothers Bruce Veerkamp (Adele) of Orangevale and Maurice “Mo” Veerkamp Jr. (Sheila) of Victor, Montana; sons Doug Veerkamp (Lori) and Brian Veerkamp (Lori), both of Placerville; former wife Barbara Veerkamp of Placerville; grandchildren Loni Brewster (Justin) of Pilot Point, Texas, Matt Veerkamp (Gretchen) of Placerville, Tiffany Spencer (Chad) of Clovis and Rashell Hawkinson (Andrew) of Placerville; and 10 great-grandchildren.
His family also expressed gratitude to Evie Veerkamp and her son, David McIntosh, for the care, companionship, and support they provided during his final years.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 11, 2026, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Placerville. A rosary will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. A reception will be held immediately afterward.
For many throughout El Dorado County, Jim Veerkamp will be remembered not only as a mechanic who could fix nearly anything, but as a man whose work, family values and commitment to his community helped keep the wheels of the county turning for more than seven decades.
