Funeral services for Jim will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 11, 2019 at the Calvary Baptist Church in Union, Iowa. Public visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the services begin. Memorial contributions may be directed in Jim’s name to his family, which will be later designated elsewhere. For further information or to send a condolence, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call (641) 844-1234. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Jim and his family.

Jim was born to the late Herman Oscar Jelsma and Virginia “Mae” Smith in Ferguson, Iowa, on November 7, 1927. He grew up on a farm near Bangor, Iowa. At about eleven years of age he made the decision to accept Christ as his personal Savior, a decision which would set the course for his life. In 1944, he graduated from Union Community School.

After signing up to serve in the United States Army he married his childhood sweetheart, Constance Shaver, on November 24, 1945. As a T-4 Chief Radar Operator he completed his service in the army, July 1947 in Fort Bliss, Texas. Jim and his wife lived their remaining years in Union, Iowa, where they raised six children. Jim was a charter member of Calvary Baptist Church in Union, Iowa. He was a spiritual man and served as a deacon, trustee and Sunday school teacher. He worked at Lennox Industries in Marshalltown, Iowa, for 41 years. While raising his children, he enjoyed taking them to Colorado several summers visiting his brother Stan’s family and camping in the mountains. He also enjoyed going with his family to Family Camp in Clear Lake, Iowa and in later years to Grandparent’s Camp. He and Connie also enjoyed traveling to places like Hawaii, Michigan, Florida, Minnesota, a tour to Branson and a cruise to the Bahamas. Retirement years followed, enjoying fun times with family and friends, playing games, Kiwanis, walking three miles daily, bird watching, enjoying southern gospel music and his favorite interest, cars. He lived a full life, including the Honor Flight in 2010 to Washington, DC for serving in WWII, which meant so much to him.

Jim is survived by his wife, Connie; his sons Paul (Jeannie) Jelsma, of Story City, IA, Timothy (Janae) Jelsma, of Ankeny, IA, David (Karin) Jelsma, of Lowell, MI; his daughters Brenda (Tim) Gogerty, of Hubbard, IA, Carmen (Dennis) Gogerty, of New Providence, IA; son-in- law Roger (Pat) Holeman, of Cedar Falls, IA; 13 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; a brother Stanley Jelsma, of Lakewood, CO.

He is preceded in death by his parents, daughter Linda Jelsma Holeman; three brothers: Waldo, Gene and Dallas Jelsma and one sister Arlene Jelsma Boeke.