Francis 'Jim' Shontz

FRANCIS "JIM" SHONTZ

Tipton

Francis "Jim" Shontz, 89, passed away Monday, May 16, 2016, at Mercy Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 20, at First United Methodist Church in Tipton. Jim's family will receive friends at the Fry Funeral Home from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday.

Jim was born Dec. 10, 1926, at Riverside, Iowa, the son of Harley and Mildred (Davis) Shontz. He attended Tipton Community High School and graduated in 1945. He served in the U.S. Army Engineers in Germany from 1945 to 1947. He operated the Shell gas station at Third and Cedar streets in Tipton. He worked with his brother, Bernal, as a carpenter for a time before working for the U.S. Postal Service as a rural carrier, a city carrier and assistant postmaster until his retirement in 1985 after 28 years of service.

In 1948, Jim received his private pilot's license and enjoyed flying private planes until giving it up in 1972. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Tipton, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Loyal Order of Moose. He had served on the Tipton Volunteer Fire Department.

He was united in marriage to Vivian Kruse on Dec. 11, 1949, at the Presbyterian Church in Tipton. He and Vivian enjoyed 18 winters in South Texas.

Jim is survived by his wife of 66 years, Vivian; a son, Steven (Sandy) of Manchester; two grandchildren, Madison and Louis Shontz; a sister, Joyce (John) Dircks of Clarence; and a brother, Bernal Shontz of Tipton.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Betty Rawhouser, and her husband, Harold; and a nephew, Darrel Rawhouser.

A memorial fund has been established in Jim's memory.