James D. Eshleman, 84, of Millersville, passed away on Friday, March 25, 2022, at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. Born in Manor Twp., he was the son of the late Lloyd and Marian (Walter) Eshleman. Jim was the beloved husband of Marie F. (Walk) Eshleman, and they celebrated 64 years of marriage this past September.

Along with his wife, Jim is survived by his son, B. Keith Eshleman and his wife Lugene; his grandson, Chad J. Eshleman and his wife Jennifer; and his great-granddaughter, Anna Jade Eshleman; as well as his brother, Kenneth Eshleman, and his sister, Joan Lintner. He was preceded in death by his sister, Gloria H. Byrne.

Jim came from a poor family, so as a child he worked to help out his family by cleaning bricks for a local contractor and was paid a nickel a brick. One day as he was walking home from school, he walked past John Herr's Market, and John Herr, Sr. was outside and asked him if he wanted a job unloading a watermelon truck. The rest was history. He met his wife, Marie, while working at John Herr's. Jim and John Herr, Jr. worked together for many, many years until Jim bought the store from him in 2001. Jim worked at John Herr's for 72 years, up until the time of his passing.

During his early years, Jim was involved with the boy scout troop in Millersville where he was both a scout and a troop leader.

Jim was well known as being a dedicated life member of the Millersville Fire Company (now known as Blue Rock Fire Rescue) since 1955, where he served as Fire Chief from 1962 – 2000. With nearly four decades in that post, Jim was possibly Lancaster County's longest continuously serving Fire Chief. During his membership with the Millersville Fire Company, Jim also served as President, Vice President, Trustee and Safety Officer, as well as a past Lancaster County fire instructor. He served as the past President of the Lancaster County Fire Chief's Association and Lancaster County Fireman's Zone 6. Jim was also a former member of the Lancaster County Fireman's Foundation, the Millersville Men's Club, the Keystone State Fire Chiefs Association, and past chairman of the Lancaster County Radio Advisory Board.

Millersville meant so much to Jim. He lived all of his life in Millersville, and was always very community minded, doing whatever he could for the betterment of all. Over the years, he became a great Millersville historian. He received many awards for his community work, including the Red Rose Award, the Lancaster County Exceptional Citizen Award, Recognition from the Millersville Borough Council, and the Distinguished Service Award from Lancaster County Firemen's Association.

Jim was known for two things in life – his very hard work ethic and his fire service, which consumed all of his time. He could be found every day working at John Herr's Village Market from sunrise to sunset, or rushing out the door to a fire call in the community. During his midlife, he and his family enjoyed yearly trips to Wildwood, NJ. Later in life, he could be found scootering around John Herr's Market on his blue scooter.

A viewing will take place at the Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home & Crematory, 441 North George Street, Millersville, PA 17551, where the family will receive guests on Friday, April 1, 2022, from 5 PM – 8 PM, and again on Saturday, April 2, 2022, from 9 AM – 12 Noon. Interment services will be held privately at the Masonville Mennonite Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations in Jim's memory be made to the Blue Rock Fire Rescue, 26 East Charlotte Street, Millersville, PA, 17551. When stepping down from his position as Fire Chief, Jim was quoted in a local newspaper as saying "The hardest part is to educate the people – you'd be surprised at how many people don't understand that we're volunteers, and we do this for nothing."