James Wacha

JAMES JOSEPH WACHA

Tama

James Joseph Wacha, 90, of Tama, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, at Sunny Hill Care Center in Tama under the care of Hospice of Mercy. Funeral services will be held Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at Living Faith United Methodist Church in Tama with Pastor Brian Oliver officiating. Interment will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Toledo, Iowa. Visitation will be held Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.

James was born on Sept. 11, 1927, on the family farm east of Toledo, the son of James Louis and Mary (Ribby) Wacha.

James served his country in the U.S. Army.

On May 16, 1948, he was united in marriage to Shirley Anne Turner in Albion, Iowa. Jim was a lifelong farmer. He bought his own farm north of Brooklyn and was proud of his fat cattle and hogs. Jim was a member of Living Faith United Methodist Church in Tama, the American Legion, VFW, Eagles and Farm Bureau. After retirement, he gardened and with Shirley attended farmers markets, where he was known for his sweet corn. They enjoyed many years of traveling and wintering in Texas. Jim's greatest joy was spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in his later years.

Survivors include his four children, Linda (David) Sutherland of Montezuma, LaDonna (Roger) Garin of Cedar Rapids, Jeffrey Wacha (Garry Bowie) of Long Beach, Calif., and Jay (Sandra) Wacha of Ozark, Mo.; seven grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; one brother, Roger (Joann) Wacha of Toledo; several nieces and nephews; and a close friend, Betty Prusha.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife, Shirley, on Nov. 28, 2012; two sons, Joel and James Wacha; and five sisters, Evelyn Bidwell, Marie Wacha, Lucille Jacobsen, Genevieve Iezek and Bernice Higginbotham.

A memorial fund has been established.