SWEHLA, James John 1919-2000

ONDRASHEK, SWEHLA, FISHER, KLIMESH, DIETZENBACH, GRIFFIN

Posted By: IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 8/16/2010 at 13:48:54

Decorah Journal, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2000

James John Swehla

James Swehla, 81, of Spillville, died Friday, Nov. 10, 2000 at the Aase Haugen Home in Decorah after a short illness. Funeral mass was Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 11 a.m. at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in SpilIville with Rev. Donald Hawes officiating. Burial was at the church cemetery. Balik Funeral Home in SpilIville handled the arrangements.

James John Swehla was born August 27, 1919 to John and Albina (Ondrashek) Swehla in Spillville. Jim attended St. Wenceslaus and Spillville Public Schools. In 1934 Jim rented the Shell Station in Spillville from Dick Huber. Jim was drafted into the Navy in 1943. For a short time, he was stationed in Birmington, Wash. He then was on a seaplane tender, the USS Unimak. After serving in England, Russia, Allautians, the Pacific, the Atlantic, Panama, Gilbert Island and Hawaii, Jim was discharged in 1945.

Upon returning home Jim married Clara Fisher, daughter of John and Emma (Klimesh) Fisher, on June 2, 1947 at St. Wenceslaus in SpilIville. To this union a son, Gregory, was born. Jim operated the gas station for a time before buying a bulk trucking business. He was an Oil Jobber until his retirement in Nov. 1989 after 43 years in the business.

A life-long member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Jim was also a former Spillville City Council member, Boy Scout leader and member of the Spillville American Legion Post 467. Jim enjoyed hunting, fishing, and being with family.

Jim is survived by his wife, Clara of Spillville, a son, Gregory and Marcia (Dietzenbach) Swehla of Alexandria, Ky., a grandson, Nathaniel Swehla of Alexandria, Ky., and a brother, Daniel and Elsie Swehla of Calmar.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, George and Benjamin, and a sister, Edith Griffin.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.