GARNER – James O. Steward, 82, of Garner died Monday (February 11, 2008) at Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa in Mason City.
Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M., Friday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Garner with Rev. Dale Glawatz officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Mason City.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M., Thursday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel in Garner and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.
James Orville Steward, the son of Orville and Helena (Whitesell) Steward, was born January 23, 1926 at Iowa Falls. At the age of six, he moved with his family to a farm south of Garner. Jim graduated from Garner High School in 1943. Following high school he worked on the family farm and drove truck for Ed Bock. On March 8, 1947 he married Joan R. Walle at Albert Lea, MN. To this union three children were born, Michael James, Lawrence Dean and Carolyn Ruth. When his father decided to retire from farming, Jim went to work for the Garner Police Department serving as Chief of Police for several years. He then worked for FEMIC Insurance Company as a claims adjuster. On November 29, 1974 he married Bonnie L. Modderman at Zion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake. They lived in Clear Lake until moving to Garner in 1975. They built, owned and operated the Black Velvet Inn in Garner for four years. Jim then worked for Iowa Mold Tooling, starting the security program and managing the yard work. He retired in 1991.
He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Garner.
Jim is survived by his wife, Bonnie, of Garner; three children, Michael (Linda) Steward of Cornville, AZ, Larry (Kathy) Steward of Missouri City, TX and Carolyn Steward of Henderson, NV; step-children, Pam (John) Van Gerpen of Garner, Jane (Pat) Greiman of Manteca, CA and Amy Modderman of Pahrump, NV; grandchildren, Jodi, Megan and Ryan Steward in AZ, Jonathan and Patrick Steward in TX; step-grandchildren, Heather Ann (Matthew) Curtis of Clear Lake, Diena Ann (Daren) Mennenga of Belmond; step-great-grandchildren, Aspen Curtis, Tyler Curtis, Jamie Greiman, Tristan Mennenga and Ty Mennenga; and close family friend, Diann Musial of Pahrump, NV.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant sister; step-son, Jeffery Modderman; grandson, Michael Steward; and step grandson, Joshua Greiman.
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