Ehlers, James Henry (1949-2018)

EHLERS, GERDES, SATHER, VEVERKA, RETHMEYER, HUBBARD

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 11/13/2018 at 18:25:22

James "Jim" Ehlers
December 12, 1948 - October 2, 2018

James "Jim" Henry Ehlers, age 69, of Newell, Iowa, died on Tuesday, October 2, 2018, at the Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake after a four-year long battle with Parkinson’s Disease

Jim, a son of Helmuth and Rosella (Gerdes) Ehlers, was born on December 12, 1948, in Storm Lake. In his youth, he attended grade school at Zion Lutheran and then graduated from Albert City-Truesdale High School in 1967. Next, he furthered his education by enrolling at Iowa State where he earned an Ag degree in Farming Operations in 1971.

Jim loved his country. In January of 1969, he enlisted in the Army National Guard. He would, proudly, serve his country for six years before his honorable discharge in 1975. On September 2, 1972, he married Gwenn Sather in Franklin, Minnesota. Subsequently, they were blessed with three children: Sonya Lynn, Joel James, and Emily Pauline.

Very active in his community and in his church, Jim played a variety of roles. In his community, he belonged to the Albert City Legion and served on the Farm Credit Services of America Board of Directors from 2009-2017. At his church, he taught Sunday School and served as a Deacon, church chairman, and Elder. Moreover, he received a Believer’s Baptism at a pool through the Evangelical Free Church in Albert City.

In his free time, Jim enjoyed relaxing on the lake, taking motorcycle trips to Colorado and the Black Hills, and traveling with Gwenn to Hawaii and Mexico where he enjoyed seeing God’s beauty. Above all, Jim loved spending time with his family and going to his children’s activities.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 46 years, Gwenn, of Newell, Iowa; his children, Sonya (Jeff) Veverka, of Overland Park, Kansas, Joel (Brooke) Ehlers, of Albert City, Iowa, and Emily (Justin) Rethmeyer, of Kansas City, Missouri; his brother, Steve (Betty) Ehlers, of Newell, Iowa; his sister, Judi Hubbard, of Seattle, Washington; and his grandchildren: Joseph James and Jackson Henry Veverka; Emma Elizabeth Ehlers; and Madelyn Pauline Rethmeyer; as well as extended family members and friends. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Helmuth and Rosella; his parents-in-law, Victor and Adelle Sather; and his nephew, Joshua Ehlers.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 6, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at the Evangelical Free Church in Albert City, Iowa. Burial will follow in the Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery in Storm Lake. Visitation will take place on Friday, October 5, 2018, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in STORM LAKE. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements.

Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Homes, Storm Lake, Iowa, 2018.

Buena Vista Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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