James Wesley Jiras

JIRAS, SEDLACEK, SWARTZENDRUBER, WOOD, KAHLE, SCHEETZ

Posted By: Lisa M. Ciha (email)
Date: 7/30/2020 at 09:07:18

They say “the dash” between your birthdate and your passing date is about how we live, love, and how we spend our dash. For all of those who haver ever met Jim, they know that his dash was full of life and spark. He was born with a gift to gab, always had a smile, a story to be told, or a joke to crack. Jim enjoyed working with his hands and you can find his carpentry work in many homes around the area. Friends always joked about how you could eat off his garage floor and how immaculate he kept his yard. His lawn mower, vehicles, and camper were always spotless, and everything needed a little pin-striping.

Jim’s family will treasure the times they had building things in his shop, playing in the creek, the many Lake of the Ozark trips, camping weekends, his stories, goofy tricks, and countless other fond memories.

Born the son of Wesley and Adelaide (Sedlacek) Jiras, Jim grew up on the family farm in Oxford with his siblings, Carleen (Joe) Kahle, Larry (Eileen) Jiras, and Raymond (Bonnie) Jiras. Jim attended Oxford High School graduating in 1960. He joined the U.S. Army in 1960 with the 410th Infantry Unit of Iowa City, and served as a medic. He was employed with Swartzendruber Lumber in Homestead for 18 years. He then worked for the town of Oxford as their Water and Streets Superintendent for 8 years. He worked at the U of I Physical Plant Carpentry Shop for 19 years. Jim and his brothers worked on the side for 44 years as Jiras Brother’s Auctioneering. Oftentimes family members would work alongside them. After retirement Jim worked part-time in maintenance for The Depot convenience stories in Oxford and Tiffin, and continued doing side jobs in the area until his health declined due to Metastatic Stage 4 Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Jim served on the Oxford Fire Department for 28 years. He also served on the Oxford City Council for 9 years. He was a lifelong member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oxford and served on the Parish council. He enjoyed auctioneering at the annual Aerohawks event.

On October 28, 1963, Jim married his high school sweetheart, Mary Sue Scheetz. They lived on Jim’s family farm in a tiny trailer until they built their first home in Oxford. They have 2 children, Jennifer (Bill) Wood and Steve (Sherry) Jiras. They were blessed with 6 grandchildren: Mitchell (Laura) Wood, Casey (Autumn) Wood, Allison Wood, Austin Jiras, Alex Jiras, and Aiden Jiras. Bringing joy to their lives are their great-grandchildren Evelyn and Camden Wood.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Mary Sue, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, his brothers and their wives, Larry and Eileen and Raymond and Bonnie; his mother-in-law, Virginia Scheetz; his in-laws, Steve and Karen Scheetz, Tom and Lynette Scheetz and many loving nieces and nephews.
Welcoming Jim to his heavenly home are his parents, Wes and Adelaide; his sister, Carleen; and brother -in-law, Joe Kahle; his father-in-law, Larry Scheetz, aunts and uncles.

Graveside services will be held at 10 am, Saturday, August 1, 2020, at Oxford Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in Jim’s memory to Iowa City Hospice or Iowa City Aerohawks. To share a thought, memory or condolence with his family please visit the funeral home website @ www.gayandciha.com.

The family extends a very special thank you to Dr. James Feeley, Iowa City Hospice for their compassionate care and assistance not only for Jim but for Mary Sue, Jennifer, and Steve as well.

“Until we meet again, God has you in Heaven, but we have you in our hearts.”

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