James Short

JAMES SHORT

Cedar Rapids

James Harold Short died peacefully Feb. 18, 2014, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha after a courageous fight with cancer. A visitation service will be Thursday, Feb. 20, from 4 to 8 p.m., including a rosary service at 4 p.m., at Teahen Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids. Friends may also visit with the family on Friday, Feb. 21, after 9:30 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Catholic Church by the Rev. Ivan Nienhaus. Burial service will be at 2:30 p.m. at St. Patrick Cemetery in Monti.

Jim was born Feb. 20, 1942, to Matt and Rose (Gaffney) Short, and grew up on the family farm in Monti, Iowa. He was proud of his Monti roots and remained close to friends and family from the area. He was baptized, made his first communion and was confirmed at St. Patrick's Parish, Monti, where he served as an altar boy. He attended Monti Consolidated School, where he played baseball and basketball for the Monti Mustangs. He was a member of the Newton Sodbusters 4-H Club and showed cattle at the Buchanan County Fair. He graduated from Winthrop High School with the class of 1960 where he played baseball and was the statistician for the basketball team.

After attending Loras College, Jim served in the Marine Corps Reserves and then settled in Cedar Rapids for nearly 50 years. His professional career included positions as an accountant for Continental Metals and several years as a real estate agent, including founding Landmark Realty. He also worked for 15 years selling livestock feed and farm products for Furst-McNess Co.

Jim was a very social person and kept a wide and active circle of friends. He enjoyed golfing, hunting and going to dinner with friends and family. He was a longtime member of Knights of Columbus and served in several leadership roles there, including Grand Knight, and the Discovery Living board.

Jim enjoyed travel; his interest in genealogy led him to visit Ireland three times to explore his family history and play golf. One of his legacies is a detailed family tree. He also made recent trips to Alaska, attended Irish Fests across the Midwest and made frequent visits to his children and grandchildren.

Jim is survived by his sons, Kevin (Lori) Short, Edmond, Okla., and Michael (Kara) Short, Rochester, Minn.; his daughter-in-law, Kristi Short, Bellingham, Wash.; his grandchildren, Matt, Joe, Zach, Layne, Jace and Addison; his sister, Carol Ann (Larry) Kane; sister-in-law, Rosemary Short; brother-in-law, Kent Carrothers; nieces, Tammy Short Wolfe and Erin Kane Joseph; nephews, Dan Kane, Matt and TJ Carrothers and Kelly Short; aunts, Bette Gaffney and Erma Short; and many fun first cousins as well as his loyal friends.

He was preceded in death by his son, Rob (2010); his brother, Robert (2011); his sister, Connie Kay (2006); his parents, Matt and Rose; his grandparents, Peter and Anna (McGraw) Gaffney and Joseph and Margaret (Moroney) Short; and many treasured aunts, uncles and cousins.

Jim lived life to the fullest, enjoying traveling, golf, softball, hunting, preservation of Iowa wetlands, watching his favorite Notre Dame sports and attending our many family parties. He was very proud of his sons and grandchildren and loved attending their activities. He lived the spirit of the Irish Claddagh: love, loyalty and friendship. He is a role model to all of us for his courage and determination in handling his illnesses.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his honor to Hospice of Mercy or the St. Patrick Restoration Fund.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.teahenfuneral home.com.

Until we meet again....