James William Agnew 2022

AGNEW, CLARKE, JONES, KAUFMAN, MANKINS, RITTER, VELTMAN

Posted By: Shirley Keating
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:03:14

Slade-O’Donnell Funeral Home
Leon, Iowa

James Agnew

James “Jim” Agnew, 87, of Des Moines passed away on January 18, 2022, due to Alzheimer’s disease. Jim was born in Winterset, Iowa, to Brown and Louise Agnew on December 9, 1934. High school sweethearts, Jim and Marian Veltman were married in 1957 after Jim’s graduation from Iowa State University. Jim and Marian celebrated each of their 56 years of marriage until Marian’s death in 2013. They built a beautiful life together, raising three girls – Jeanine, Lynn and Lisa -- as well as welcoming Stacy to their family after the death of her parents.

Making their home in Des Moines in 1960, Jim began his career in the life insurance industry and retired after 30 years from American Mutual Life as Senior Vice President of Marketing. Starting in high school and continuing through the age of 85, Jim held many leadership roles in the community. His optimistic outlook on life, keen business mind, easygoing nature, and willingness to listen made him an asset to the many organizations of which he was a part. He had a strong faith in God and was an active member of First United Methodist Church, spearheading the building renovation project that still serves the church today. He served as president of the board of Wesley Acres for several decades even prior to making it his home five years ago, as well as the board of the Salvation Army. He was active in Sertoma and the Waveland Neighborhood Association.

Each day found Jim pursuing one of his many hobbies or passions. Jim’s beloved Century Farm he purchased in Madison County after retirement was a source of pride and love and gave him an endless number of projects as he restored the farmhouse and maintained the land. He and Marian entertained family and many friends there, as well as their Des Moines home. Jim and Marian enjoyed camping with their travel trailer club each month and spending Septembers in Bella Vista, Arkansas. Jim loved taking long daily walks, whether in nearby neighborhoods or in the downtown skywalks; bowling in his Friday league; meeting up with his foursome for Saturday golf games at Willow Creek; and playing in several bridge clubs.

Jim had a great sense of humor, an easy laugh, and could rib or play a joke as well as he could take a joke or ribbing. He instilled in his children and grandchildren a strong sense of faith, family, education, and community involvement and was affectionately known as “Mr. A” to his many honorary daughters, friends of his girls.

Jim was predeceased by wife Marian and daughter Lisa (Agnew) Kaufman, his parents, and sister Nancy Clarke. Left to cherish his memory are daughters Lynn (Paul) Mankins of Des Moines and Jeanine (John) Ritter of Suwanee, Georgia; son-in-law Robert Kaufman of Ann Arbor, Michigan; grandchildren Chelsea (Marcus) Jones, Emily Ritter, Adam Mankins, Abby Mankins, Elijah Kaufman, and Jonah Kaufman, as well as in-laws he thought of as his own siblings, nieces and nephews. Memorial donations may be made to Wesley Acres Good Samaritan Fund, the Salvation Army, or DMARC.

A memorial service celebrating Jim’s life will be held at First United Methodist Church, 1001 Pleasant Street, Des Moines, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 29. Masks will be required at the service, which will also be livestreamed at.youtube.com/channel/UCEdyWdaHYXGb-egDSe9x3yA/featured or through the church's Facebook page at.facebook.com/DSMFirstChurch"