James “Jim” Ray Keasler
KEASLER, WALDRON, ROEPKE, WERNER, MCCRANIE
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 10/18/2022 at 13:59:54
James “Jim” Ray Keasler, 76, of Iowa City, Iowa passed away October 14, 2022 at Legacy Pointe.
James Ray was born December 16, 1945 near Longview, Texas to Joseph Samuel and Mae Elizabeth (Waldron) Keasler. He was raised in Longview, Texas, where he graduated from Longview High School in 1964, before earning a bachelors degree in history from Stephen F Austin State College. Just as he was to start his teaching career, Jim was drafted into the Army in 1968. After being honorably discharged in 1970, he pursued a degree in Computer Science and received a second bachelors degree from the University of Iowa in 1976.
James married Kathryn Roepke (who was always “Kate” to him) on June 10th, 1972 at St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Aurora, Iowa. The couple eventually settled in Iowa City, where they enjoyed 50 years of marriage and raised their three children. Jim worked for Iowa Testing Programs for many years.
Jim was a devoted husband and father first and foremost. His children’s interests and activities growing up were most important to him and there wasn’t a piano lesson or wrestling meet that he didn’t attend. He was always present for the little things that mattered, and most importantly, taught them how to use an encyclopedia.
Jim was passionate about learning new things and was an avid reader, attaining a knowledge that was wide and diverse. He was always reading and never stopped looking for answers to any question asked or in his case, not asked. Conversations with him were marked by a tendency to leap from one topic to another, connected by his seemingly boundless knowledge and prodigious memory. He also enjoyed watching sports on his TV, listening to music, going to the library and coming into a room blurting out random facts of knowledge, both relevant and irrelevant to the conversation.
If there was one thing Jim was, that was determined... No matter the challenge, request, or task, he gave his all.
He leaves behind his wife of 50 years, Kathryn (Roepke) Keasler of Iowa City, IA; one daughter Naomi (Andy) Werner of Cedar Rapids, IA; two sons Samuel (Morgan) Keasler of Ankeny, IA, and Matthew (Anne) Keasler of Iowa City, IA; and one grandson Lincoln Albert Keasler of Ankeny, IA. Also surviving is one sister Joanne (Billy) McCranie of Longview, TX, and one brother David (Cynthia) Keasler of Palm Coast, FL.
James was preceded in death by his parents; one brother Michael Keasler, and parents-in-law Albert and LaVon (Watson) Roepke.
Honoring his wishes, cremation rites have been accorded. A celebration of life will be planned in the coming weeks and details will be posted when decided at www.lensingfuneral.com. Memories and online condolences may be shared with his family at www.lensingfuneral.com. where a full obituary may be read.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of James may be made to support Wikipedia, payable to Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 98204, Washington, DC 20090 https://donate.wikimedia.org.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
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