Manteufel, James "Jim" William (1930-2018)

MANTEUFEL, BERNARD, WISEMAN, WATTS, HASELHOFF

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 10/8/2018 at 20:06:42

James "Jim" William Manteufel
December 13, 1930 - September 10, 2018

James William Manteufel, age 87, died on Monday, September 10, 2018, at his home in Storm Lake Iowa.

James "Jim" Manteufel, a son of Henry and Ida (Wiebe) Manteufel, was born on December 13, 1930, in Storm Lake, Iowa. He grew up in Hayes Township where his family had deep roots. They belonged to the original founding members of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Storm Lake. Baptized and confirmed at St. John’s, Jim remained a lifelong member of that same church his family helped to start so many years earlier.

In his youth, Jim attended Hayes School, later graduating in 1949. In the fall of 1951, he was drafted but was able to obtain a deferral in order to complete the harvest. On January 4, 1952, he entered the Army to serve his country during the Korean Conflict. While serving in Germany, he became a part of the Second Armored, "Hell on Wheels," Division. During this time, he played with traveling exhibition baseball and basketball teams. In addition, he mastered tank driving and became an expert shot. Honorably discharged on December 5, 1953, he worked at various jobs from driving a fuel oil truck and working in a military surplus warehouse to dismantling explosives. He, then, returned to his passion, farming. He took over the other half of the family farm along with his brother, Don. A veteran and a third-generation farmer for most of his life, Jim, also, belonged to the Alta VFW and the Farm Bureau. Purchased in 1903, the Manteufel farm has remained in the family for 115 years.

In 1959, while taking on a short-term sweetcorn picking job for a canning factory for extra income, he met his future wife over a broken bicycle chain. On August 14, 1960, Jim married Marguerite (Marge) Ann Bernard in Aurelia, Iowa. Subsequently, they were blessed with seven children: Cindy, Danny, Randy, Sandy, Andy, Connie, and Dennis.

Jim loved all sports. Indeed, he spent many evenings playing basketball with his kids in the barn or playing baseball games with the kids and neighbors on Sunday afternoons. He, always, had a special love for baseball. In his younger years, he played for the Storm Lake Whitecaps as a switch and power hitter; he could even throw the ball with either arm. He passed down his love for sports to his family and enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren play many football, baseball/softball, and basketball games. Treasuring his family, Jim cherished the time he could spend with them. He will, forever, be remembered as a hard-working man who never retired and was, still actively, farming at the time of his passing. In his words, "I have eternity to rest so why should I retire?"

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Marge, of Storm Lake, Iowa; his children: Cindy (Mike) Wiseman, of Alta, Iowa, Danny (Kari) Manteufel, of Thornton, Colorado, Randy Manteufel, of Storm Lake, Iowa, Sandy (Doug) Watts, of Thornton, Colorado, Andy (Shana) Manteufel, of Humboldt, Iowa, Connie (Chuck) Haselhoff, of Ames, Iowa, and Dennis (Kris) Manteufel, of Alta, Iowa; his grandchildren: Ashley, Austin, Cameron (Jordan), Jaedyn, Sierra, and Tacia; Gerri (Michael), Tosha (Nick), and Zack (Missy); Cassidy (DeeDee) and Chase (Lyndsey); and Alex and Kaitlyn; eleven great-grandchildren; his brother, Harold Dean (DeAnna) Manteufel of Gladstone, Missouri; his sister-in-law, Sondra Manteufel, of Hawkins, Texas; his brother-in-law, Wes Bernard, of Sioux Rapids, Iowa; and his nieces and nephews: Dan, Dorothea, Jeff, Laurie, Linda, Mike, Nathan, and Stacey (Sean); as well as extended family members and friends. Jim was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson, Aaron James Daniel Manteufel; and his brothers: Allen, Don, and Wayne Manteufel.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 15, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Storm Lake. Burial will follow in the Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery in Storm Lake. Visitation will take place on Friday, September 14, 2018, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in STORM LAKE. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to UnityPoint Hospice, 112 W 5th Street, Storm Lake, Iowa 50588. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements.

Jim’s family would like to give a special thank you to UnityPoint Hospice and their nurses.

Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Homes, Storm Lake, Iowa, 2018.

Buena Vista Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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