Jim Waller 1934-2015

WALLER, SHAW, DOUGHERTY, ANDERSON, LATIMER, PETRAK, ALLEN, LINHART, ANDERSON, KOHLER, SEYMOUR, BECWAR, DAME

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 4/7/2017 at 21:44:20

Jim Waller, age 81, former Dubuque County Supervisor, passed away on June 30th, 2015, at Stonehill Care Center.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 4th, 2015, at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road, with Sr. Margaret Anne Kramer, PBVM officiating. Burial will follow in Rockdale United Methodist Church with military honors accorded by American Legion Post #6. Friends may call from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday, July 3rd at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road.

Jim was born February 17th, 1934, in Dubuque Iowa, the son of Walter J. (Pat) Waller and Daisy (Shaw) Waller. He graduated from Loras Academy in 1952.

Jim served in the Army, based in Germany, from 1955-1957. He was employed at John Deere from 1955 to 1993 and concurrently served as financial secretary treasurer for Local 94 UAW from 1969 to 1993. He was also a Dubuque County Supervisor from 1993 to 2005.

Jim married his best friend and love of his life Kathleen "Kay" Dougherty on October 26th, 1957. Kay preceded Jim in death on October 3rd, 2003.

Jim was involved in many community organizations. He was on the executive board at the United Way for 30 years, and served as Chairman in 1997. Jim was in charge of organizing and running the Labor Day Parade for 23 years.

He is survived by his children, Jane (Terry) Anderson, of Bettendorf, IA; Michael Waller, of Dubuque, IA; Dan (Lisa) Waller, of Urbandale, IA; Cathy (Tim) Latimer, Terry (Mary Ann) Waller, both of Dubuque, IA; and his grandchildren, Zach Waller, Elizabeth (Jackie) Petrak, Sarah Latimer, Alex Waller, Isabel Waller, Andi Waller, Becky (John) Allen, Samantha Anderson, Andrew Anderson, Stephanie Anderson, Mandy Seymour, Vinnie Linhart, RJ Williams, and his seven great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Patrica Kohler, Sharon (David) Becwar, both of Dubuque; Gail Dame, of Silversprings, Maryland; and Sandy (Gary) Becwar, of Glen Haven, WI.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents; his sister Betty at infancy; his father and mother in-law, James and Marie Dougherty; his brother-in-law Bob and his loving granddaughter, Samantha "Sam" Latimer.

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Thursday, July 2, 2015
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Jim Waller 'was there to help people'

Services Longtime Dubuque labor leader, Dubuque County supervisor and volunteer Jim Waller passed away Tuesday. Friends may call from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 4, at the funeral home.

Jim Waller had a reputation for being the first to show and the last to leave.

Whether it be meetings of the United Auto Workers Local 94 leadership team, special events or the organization's annual Christmas Dinner, Waller usually was on scene for the setup and still around for the cleanup.

"He was just always there and set such a fine example for the future leaders of Local 94 and the labor community," said Dan White, president of the Local 94. "He set an example for me that to this day I often think, 'What would Jim do in something like this?'"

Waller passed away Tuesday at Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque. The longtime union leader, Labor Day Parade organizer, Democratic Dubuque County supervisor, prolific volunteer and father of five was 81.

Waller was born in Dubuque in 1934 and graduated from Loras Academy in 1952. He served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957.

Waller began his career at John Deere in 1955 and served as secretary treasurer for the Local 94 in 1969. He held the post until he retired in 1993.

Waller's resume also includes 30 years with the executive board of the United Way of Dubuque Area Tri-States, including a stint as chairman. He was a county supervisor from 1993 until 2005 and is credited with helping transform the Dubuque Labor Day celebration - which he organized for more than two decades - into the city's largest annual parade.

"He was just in the community," said Waller's son Terry Waller. "He was there to help people. He wanted to make everyone's lives better."

Terry Waller described his father as a "workaholic" with a strong belief in the importance of organized labor.

"He felt very strongly that the labor movement helped people better themselves," Terry Waller said.

Eric Manternach served alongside Waller on the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors for two years. Manternach described Waller as something of a mentor.

"He listened well to people's concerns," Manternach said. "He wasn't afraid to take on issues that he thought needed to be changed."

County Auditor Denise Dolan said she had known Waller for around 40 years. She said he was serious and hard-working but had a playful side that made him a joy to be around.

"He was a very gregarious person," she said. "He loved to have fun. He could be a prankster at times."

Much of Waller's spare time was reserved for volunteer work.

"We always referred to him with United Way - he was there so many years - he was kind of our institutional memory, if you will," said Ron Spillane, the organization's former executive director.

Waller "walked the talk of volunteerism," Spillane said. In addition to serving as chairman, Waller was actively involved in several committees and United Way events, including volunteer cookouts.

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Friday, July 3, 2015