James T. "Jim" Berthelsen 1926 - 2004

LERIGER, BERTHELSEN, FRANZ

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/9/2018 at 23:34:28

Sioux City Journal
19 November 2004

James T. "Jim" Berthelsen, 78, of Sioux City died Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004, at a Sioux City hospital from an aneurysm in the brain.

Services will be 9 a.m. Saturday at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, with the Rev. Merlin J. Schrad officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the American Legion Monahan Post 64. Visitation will be 1 to 9 p.m. today, with the family present 5 to 8 p.m. and a parish vigil service at 7 p.m., at Larkin Northside Funeral Home.

Mr. Berthelsen was born April 15, 1926, in Minneapolis, the son of Nels M. and Corrine O. (LeRiger) Berthelsen. His father was in the military and the family moved around a lot. He spent most of his youth between Kansas City, Mo. and Sioux City. He attended Trinity High College Prep. School and graduated from Marist Military College Prep. School in Atlanta, Ga. in 1944. He graduated from Morningside College with his bachelor degree on June 6, 1962.

He married Mary Lou Franz on June 26, 1944, in Atlanta, Ga. She died Feb. 17, 2003, in Sioux City.

After graduating from high school, he served his time in the military. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II from 1944 to 1947. He received the Victory Medal and the Occupation Medal. He and his family returned to Sioux City and he joined the Iowa Air National Guard. He was recalled to active duty with the U.S. Air Force for the Korean Conflict from 1950 to 1952. He was discharged with the rank technical sergeant.

In the later 1940s and the 1950s, he worked in the advertising department of the Sioux City Journal Tribune. He then became the advertising manager for Wilco, then was an advertising salesman for KTIV Channel 4. He later worked for Olson Sporting Goods as a salesman. He retired from Sportsman's in 1987, but continued to work on a part-time basis. He also worked part-time for Larkin Funeral Home for the last 17 years.

He was a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, where he served as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and as a lector. He was a member of the American Legion Monahan Post 64 and was active with the Republican re-election committee.

Survivors include a daughter and her husband, Catherine and Joseph Boyle of Topeka, Kan.; three sons and their wives, Eric and Deb Berthelsen of Sioux City, Leonard and Dr. Rita Berthelsen of Omaha and Joseph and Jodi Berthelsen of Olathe, Kan.; a sister and her husband, Betty and Jack Kroupa of Modesto, Calif.; 12 grandchildren, Rick Boyle, Cindy Pounds, Becky Dodge, Kelly Boyle and Anne, Andrew, Brian, Kevin, Vicki, Caroline, Jacob and Jenna Berthelsen; and five great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his wife, Mary Lou Berthelsen.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons, Rick Boyle, Kelly Boyle, Andrew, Brian, Kevin and Jacob Berthelsen. Honorary pallbearers will be his granddaughters, Cindy Pounds, Becky Dodge, Anne, Vicki, Caroline and Jenna Berthelsen.

Memorials may be directed to Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church gathering center or the American Legion Monahan Post 64.