ROULES, James ‘Jimmie’ 1893 – 1953

ROULES, ANTHONY, KOUMPAROULES

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 2/28/2011 at 19:37:31

“The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger”
March, 1953

JAMES ROULES TAKEN TO HOSPITAL IN IOWA CITY

James ROULES, who has been seriously ill with a heart ailment at his home for several days, was taken to the Veterans hospital in Iowa City last night.

Their son, Frederick, medical student at Iowa university, called this morning and stated that his father had spent a fairly restful night.

Friends may write Mr. ROULES at room 6W-77 in care of the Veterans hospital, in Iowa City.

~~~~

“The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger”
Monday, July 20, 1953
Page 1, Column 4

[Note: This is one of two columns under the heading ‘Death Claims Two Prominent Citizens’.]

ROULES Succumbs To Long Illness

James “Jimmie” ROULES, a native of Greece who developed a deep love for his adopted country, passed away last night at the veterans hospital in Iowa City where he had been a patient for the past several weeks.

ROULES, operator of a shoe repair shop in Fairfield for over a quarter of a century, suffered a heart attack in March and was taken to the hospital in Iowa City. After showing some improvement he was returned to his home.

Three weeks later, on May 26, he suffered a stroke and was returned to the hospital where he has remained since. He had been in a critical condition for some time prior to his death.

The body was scheduled to arrive at the Weston Behner Funeral home late this afternoon.

“Jimmie” was born July 6, 1893, in Gastuni, Greece. He attended school in Greece and was enthusiastic about the history and ideals of the United States. He made up his mind to emigrate to the United States at the first opportunity, and arrived in this country on April 28, 1911. He was 17 years old at that time.

He first worked in New York and Worcester, Mass. He later came to Creston, Ia., arriving in Iowa before the first World War. But shortly after his arrival in this country and while still living in the east, he visited points of historical interest at every opportunity.

He enlisted in the armed forces of the United States before he was naturalized as an American citizen. He served overseas with the famous Rainbow Division during World War I, and then returned to Creston.

He and his family moved to Fairfield in 1925 and opened up his shoe repair shop on Broadway just west of the square where it has remained since. He was united in marriage on July 14, 1923, to Sadie ANTHONY. The wedding took place at Fort Scott, Kan.

When Jimmie arrived in this county his name was Demetrious KOUMPAROULES. His name was legally changed to James ROULES by court action at the time of his naturalization as a United States citizen.

ROULES was a member of the Methodist church, K. of P. lodge, Legion and V.F.W. During his younger days he took an active part in lodge and club affairs, especially the service organizations. He has always been known for his love and devotion for his new home and country.

Besides his wife, Jimmie is survived by his wife and two children (sic), Frederick and Helen, both at home. He is also survived by a brother and sister who still reside in Greece.

~~~~

[The following article is an editorial from “The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger”, undated but shortly after Jimmie ROULES’ death.]

Jimmy ROULES, An American Citizen

Jimmy ROULES is dead.

In his passing there has been lost to the world a type of citizen all too rare. In the mind of this writer he has stood out as Fairfield’s best American citizen for the twenty odd years we’ve known him.

What do we mean by “best”? Simply this: He was proud of his adopted country; he was not afraid to say so. He didn’t ask anything of it except the right to live in it and be able to do an honest day’s work. He hated sham and the kind of patriotism which was self seeking. He had nothing but scorn for those who believed their country owed them anything.

It didn’t take courage for him to live by his convictions for they were so much a part of him that he could have done nothing but live by them.

He knew what it meant to be an American because he had not always been one. His boyhood was spent in Greece. When he arrived in this country he spent a few years in New York, saw the struggle which immigrants were having. But from the day he arrived he had one overwhelming ambition – to be an American citizen. Soon after he came to Iowa world war I broke out. He was among the first to enlist even though he had to conceal the fact that he was not yet a citizen. He was willing to accept the responsibilities even before he had gained the rights which went with citizenship.

He had a righteous kind of pity for the weaknesses in men who believed that because they had worn the uniform that they were entitled to any special consideration. Not that he particularly singled them out. But he couldn’t understand how men who had seen the price that some men paid to protect the rights of their fellow citizens could get all mixed up about their rights and their obligations.

To those who did not know him it might have seemed strange that senators, governors, congressmen always dropped into his shop when they came to Fairfield. There were never any political considerations involved in such calls. Jimmy ROULES wasn’t the kind of man who influenced the votes of others. If he didn’t like what they were doing he wouldn’t vote for them himself. And he wouldn’t hesitate to tell them so. He measured all men by one set of standards. He only asked one question. It was: “Are you doing what you can for this great country of ours?”

It has been a fine thing for Fairfield to have had such a man as one of its own for thirty years. There are many who have risen to positions of influence and power who would be proud to think that the precepts by which they live might be as clearly remembered as will be burning zeal of Jimmy ROULES’ life. He just wanted to be a good American citizen.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Jimmie’s wife Sadie outlived her husband by many years. She died in 2000, and they are buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Fairfield, in Lot 3rd.111.