James Jurgens

JURGENS, KALKWORT, GHARST, BERY, ARENHOLZ, TAYLOR, STEINBERG, SCHWARTZ, CETON, NEUHAUS, CASEBEER, LAHR

Posted By: dbeier (email)
Date: 7/21/2010 at 14:33:42

James L. Jurgens, age 78, of Shell Rock, died Friday, August 14, 2009, at the Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo.

James was born on May 6, 1931 in rural Parkersburg, Iowa, the son of Cornelius and Foskalena (Kalkwort) Jurgens.

He was raised in Shell Rock and attended the Shell Rock High School. James entered the United States Army in 1952 where he served during the Korean War. On February 26, 1956 he was united in marriage to Roberta Gharst at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. During his life James worked for Joe DeWitt Construction and for the Oliver/White Tractor Implement. He retired in 1993.

His enjoyments included playing cards, playing horseshoes, traveling, fishing, spending time at his cabin on the Shell Rock River, wintering in Texas, and most of all spending time with his family. James was baptized and confirmed at Peace Lutheran Church in Shell Rock and was a member of the Faith Lutheran Church in Shell Rock and the Shell Rock American Legion.

James's memory is honored by his wife Roberta of Shell Rock, four children; Joni (Bryant) Berg of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Randy (Judy) Jurgens of Burleson, Texas, Brenda (Sonny) Arenholz of Shell Rock, Iowa, and Greg (Patty) Jurgens of Des Moines, Iowa, seven grandchildren; Joe (Tammy)Taylor, Stephanie, Kimberly, Kris, and John Jurgens, and Missy and Julie Arenholz, five great-grandchildren; Tim and Kory Taylor, Kayla Steinberg, Emma Schwartz, and Mason Arenholz, and two sisters; Leola Ceton of Riverside, California and Dora (Helmut) Neuhaus of Hampton, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, John, Tom, and Bob Jurgens, and two sisters, Velma Casebeer and Marlys Lahr.

James has been cremated and memorial services will be held at 2 P.M. on Tuesday, August 18, at the Faith Lutheran Church in Shell Rock with Pastor Paul Schaedig officiating.

Burial of cremains will follow at the Riverside Cemetery in Shell Rock.

Visitation will be held on Monday, August 17, at the Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Shell Rock where the family will greet friends from 6 to 8 P.M. Memorials may be directed to the family.