James E. TRAGER
TRAGER, TIETZ, MAXWELL, ANDERSON, MEYERS, WRAY
Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/27/2016 at 18:28:15
May 12, 1939 ---- January 21, 2016
West Des Moines --- James E. (Jim) Trager, 76, passed away Thursday, January 21, 2016 at Mercy Hospice in Johnston, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, January 28 at McLaren's Resthaven Chapel in West Des Moines, Iowa. A private interment will be at 9:30 a.m. Friday, January 29 at the Iowa Veteran's Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa, with a Celebration of Life service 11 a.m. Friday at McLaren's Resthaven Chapel.
Jim was born May 12, 1939 in Belmond, Iowa. His parents were Edwin & Wilma (Tietz) Trager. As a young boy, Jim and his family moved to Woden, Iowa. After graduating from Woden High School in 1957, Jim enlisted in the Army and served 3 years in Hawaii. He returned home in 1960 and worked for the next 12 years for various insurance agencies. He spent 3 years in Ames, Iowa in business and this is when Jim's love for the Iowa State Cyclones began.
In 1972, Jim became a partner of First Western Insurance, a brokerage house for insurance, in West Des Moines, Iowa. He traveled Iowa and Nebraska for the business until 2001, at which time he and his partner sold the business to R.W. Scobie Company. He worked for this company on a part-time basis until his retirement in 2013. In 1983, Jim married Kay Maxwell Anderson. They both shared their love for the Iowa State Cyclones and made so many great friends while attending countless football and basketball games.
Jim was a devoted and loving father to his daughter Tammy Meyers, her husband Jeff and his grandchildren, Jeremy, Nate and Brianna. He often joked and said if he had known that grandchildren were so much fun, he would have had them first. Jim loved children and they loved him. His nieces and nephew, as well as his great nieces and nephews referred to him as the "Tickle Monster" and the "Giddy, giddy man."
If you knew Jim, you knew his love for life and his love for others. Jim was always thinking of how he could help those less fortunate. He never knew a stranger and if you met him, you never forgot him. Jim's second love was his yard. He was known for mowing his lawn sometimes 3-4 times a week, making sure that every blade was in its place.
Jim is survived by his wife, Kay; his daughter, Tammy (Jeff) Meyers; his grandchildren, Jeremy (Sarah), Nate and Brianna; two great-granddaughters; his brother, John (Gloria) Trager; several nieces and nephew; and great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his grandson, Josh Wray and his nephew, Mark Trager.
The family requests memorial contributions be made to the family in lieu of flowers. It will in turn be given to the Mercy Cancer Center in Jim's honor. Jim and his family would like to thank Dr. Brian Freeman and staff at Mercy Hospital for their excellent care and compassion towards him and so many others that Jim came to know.
Wright Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
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