Sloan DVM, Dr. James A.

Dr. James A. Sloan DVM, 87, of Independence, died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011, at Buchanan County Long Term Care in Independence. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 7, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Independence, with the Rev. Kurt Bockoven officiating. Interment will be at a later date in Mount Hope Cemetery, Independence. Friends may call from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Reiff Funeral Home & Crematory, Independence, where a military memorial service will be held at 4 p.m.

Jim was born in Cono Township, Buchanan County, the son of Fred and Emma (Kolarik) Sloan. He graduated from Walker High School in 1940. He attended Coe College in Cedar Rapids and then served with the Medic and Engineers Unit of the U.S. Army during World War II. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1949 in veterinary medicine. On Oct. 30, 1949, he married Joan Ruhr in Atlantic, Iow. The next month he started his veterinary practice in Independence which he continued for 61 years until his death.

Jim was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Independence, where he enjoyed Bible study and fellowship. He loved his family, having coffee and sharing stories with friends, and had a lifelong love of baseball and the White Sox.

Dr. Sloan was a member of the Iowa Veterinary Society, Rotary since 1949, Board of Health for 35 years, served on the Independence school board, and was a Little League coach.

He is survived by his wife, Joan Sloan of Independence; children, James (Mary Kay) of Pine City, Minn., Michal (Mark) of Winona, Minn., John (Deb) of Boise, Idaho, and David (Krys) of Mason City; nine grandchildren, Katie Trumble, Molly Czeslawski, Elizabeth Sloan, Christina Sloan, Daniel Roskos, Matthew Roskos, Andrew Sloan, Ian Sloan and Erika Sloan; and one great-grandchild, Jimmy Czeslawski.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Fredric; and his grandson, David.

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