James Joseph Klein

James J. “Jim” Klein, 90 years old, of Granville, IA, died Monday, Dec. 23, 2019 at his home in Granville, IA.                 

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Dec.28, 2019 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Granville with Father Daniel Greving officiating.  Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.  Graveside military honors will be conducted by the Granville Veterans.  Visitation with family present will be 4-7 p.m. on Friday.  There will be a parish rosary and vigil prayer service at 5 p.m. all at the Church.  Services have been entrusted to Fisch Funeral Home & Monument in Remsen.

Jim was born Dec. 13, 1929 in rural Granville, IA, the son of Theodore & Frances (Kokenge) Klein.  He was raised on the family farm and attended the local country school through the 8th grade.  He would later receive his high school GED while serving in the United States Air Force, which he enlisted in Dec. 1950.  During his time in the Air Force he served as a Military Policeman and attained the rank of Sergeant with the 5th Air Force.  He served in Korea from 1953-1954 and was Honorably Discharged in Nov. 1954.  Returning home he worked on the family farm and delivered chickens for Nylen Poultry until 1958 when he began working for Korbach Plumbing & Heating of Granville. 

On June 13, 1955 he married Angeline M. Stallman at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Granville.  A few years later they would buy the house that became their home to three children, Jeff, Patti & Lisa.  He would continually add and make improvements to the house, doing almost all the work himself.  In 1972, he began his job as a maintenance man with Diamond Vogel Paint following the sale of the plumbing & heating company.  He would remain with Diamond Vogel until his retirement in 1997.  During his 25 years there, he became a fixture in the plant, developing many close relationships he maintained right up to the time present.  Following his fulltime retirement, he began to restore tractors and small engines.  His John Deere tractors were his pride & joy, and he loved to display them at the church car show.  He also spent countless hours building scale model tractors and implements which also were on display at the show.  During his time in the service, he found his passion for motorcycles and kept that passion well into his seventies. 

Above all, Jim was a man of faith & family.  He attended services right up to this fall & faithfully supported St. Joseph Church throughout his life.  Jim was a great provider for his family & loved his children, grandchildren & great-grandchildren dearly. 

Jim was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, past member of the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Order of Foresters, past commander of VFW Post 5347 of Granville, he served on the volunteer fire department and also served one term on the city council. 

Survivors include his three children, Jeff Klein of Granville, Patti (Steve) Meis of Orange City, IA, Lisa Osterkamp of Sioux Center, IA; grandchildren, Adam Klein & special friend Rynnetta Garner, Jenna Klein, Emily (Jake) Meyers, Josh (Renee) Meis, Jackie (Jason) Hunley, Sara (Garren) Roseboom, Travis (Lexy) Osterkamp, Melissa (Mark) Toering and Matt Osterkamp; great-grandchildren, Shirley Klein, Ava Meis, Cole & Kendall Vander Broek, Charlotte & Carter Hunley, Lexi & Austin Kuil, Shaylee Osterkamp and Rhetley Osterkamp; one sister, Clarice (Jerry) Roder of Remsen, IA.   

Preceded in death by: his parents, his wife, Angie Sept. 30, 2015, brothers, Marcel (Ann) Klein, Merlyn (Jeanne) (Jan) Klein and Tom Klein, sisters, Lois (Gene) Wiltgen and Verna (Tony) Bunkers. 

Casket Bearers: Josh Meis, Adam Klein, Travis Osterkamp, Jake Meyers, Matt Osterkamp and Jason Hunley.