James George “Puka” Klimesh, James George “Puka” Klimesh

James George “Puka” Klimesh, 68, of Cedar Rapids, died Monday, Sept. 7, 2009, at home. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids by Father Tom McDermott. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids where a vigil service will begin at 7 p.m.

Survivors include his wife, Marilyn; 3 children, Daniel (Barb) Klimesh of Cedar Rapids, Michelle Walden (Paul Maerz) of Keokuk and Alan Klimesh of Cedar Rapids; 11 grandchildren, Brianna, Kayla, Tanner, Gabe, Piper, Lucy and Smoky Walden, and Brandi, Zach, Ouji and Chewie Klimesh.

Also surviving are 2 brothers, John (Mary) Klimesh of Decorah and Robert (Elaine) Klimesh of Ft. Atkinson; and 2 sisters, Anne (Bill) Lynch of Houston, Minn., and Theresa (Chuck) Klimesh Humphrey of Postville.

He was preceded in death by his parents and Sid (Cat).

James was born Dec. 30, 1940, the son of Alvin and Sidonia Klimesh in Spillville. On Oct. 9, 1965, he married Marilyn Luzum at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Calmar. He served proudly in the U.S. Navy aboard the carrier USS Coral Sea. James was postal carrier, retiring after 33 years with the U.S. Postal Service.

James was a member of St. Ludmila's Catholic Church, Izaak Walton League of America, USS Coral Sea CVA-43 Association, American Legion and VFW.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mercy Hospice or the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.

James was an outdoorsman, naturalist and patriot, never missing an opportunity to pick that last mushroom, wrestle a big crappie through the ice, call a turkey in for a friend, or spend time with the old farts. But above all else he was a husband, father and grandfather who would sacrifice any of these endeavors to come to the side of a family member or friend.

Please sign the online guest book for James at under obituaries.