James "Jim" Redemske

James "Jim" Redemske, age 77 of Clarion, passed away on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at the Israel Family Hospice House in Ames, Iowa. Memorial service for Jim will be 11:00 AM Friday, November 22, 2024 at Immanuel Lutheran Church of rural Rowan, Iowa. Service will be livestreamed via Lentz Funeral Home's website. Visitation will be 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM on Thursday, November 21, at Immanuel Lutheran Church of rural Rowan, Iowa. Services have been entrusted to Lentz Funeral Home of Algona.

James Howard Redemske, the son of Howard James and Leatha (Adams) Redemske, was born on November 11, 1947 in Algona, Iowa. Jim graduated from Burt High School in 1966. On August 20, 1966 Jim was united in marriage to the love of his life Loreli “Bootsie” Lavrenz at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Burt. Jim had worked at Snap-On Tools and Hormel before becoming a licensed electrician and starting his own business, Jim’s Electric. Later, Jim worked for the City of Burt before becoming the Public Works Director for the City of Clarion. Jim retired but still needed something to do, so he worked part time as a parts runner for Haggie Manufacturing.

Jim was a past member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Burt. After moving to Clarion he became a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rowan, serving as an Elder. Jim was a Past President for the Iowa Rural Water Association, he was in the Lions Club, was a volunteer fireman and former Chief and a past member of the Burt Community School Board. He enjoyed being active in the communities he lived in and serving numerous Foster children with Bootsie. He was an Avid Hawkeye, Dallas Cowboy and Pittsburg Pirates fan. Jim loved attending his grandchildren and great grandchildren’s school activities and athletic events. He enjoyed playing slow pitch softball, bowling league, golf, hunting, fishing, watching Micah and the General race at the Kossuth County Speedway and tinkering in his man cave. One of his greatest accomplishments is achieving and maintaining 46 contented years of sobriety and a dedicated member of AA. Jim treasured spending time with his family – our family didn’t always have it all together but together we had it all.

Left to cherish Jim’s memory is his wife of 58 years, Loreli “Bootsie”; daughters, Angie (Brad) Rekward of Mitchellville and Annette (Rick Remus) Foertsch of Altoona; seven grandchildren, Chelsie, Billy, Jake, Brandon, Harlie, Ashley and Austin; six great grandchildren, Kash, Emme, Stormie, Bryor, Xzazier and Hayden; brothers, Chuck (Linda) Redemske of Algona and Donald (Jodi) Redemske of Kissimee, FL; a sister, Lee Ann Wolters of Holland, MI; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; a great grandson, Roland James Behle; and in-laws, Marge and Roland (Swede) Lavrenz.