James Wunderlich, 65, of Jackson went to his heavenly home Monday, March 2, 2015, at Alive Hospice in Nashville, Tennessee.
He was born July 12, 1949, in Cape Girardeau, son of August and Flora Petzoldt Wunderlich. He was baptized in Jesus Christ on July 31, 1949, and confirmed his faith April 7, 1963. He and Marian Heimgartner were married June 7, 1970, at St. Paul Lutheran Church (Blue Point) in Altamont, Illinois.0
Jim was a 1967 graduate of Perryville High School in Perryville, Missouri, and a 1969 graduate of St. Paul Junior College at Concordia, Missouri. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1971 at Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Nebraska, and a master's degree at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
He taught in the Lutheran schools and was music director, choir director, handbell director and church organist at St. John's, Columbus, Nebraska; St. John's, Adrian, Michigan; St. Thomas Lutheran, Rocky River, Ohio; and St. Paul Lutheran, Jackson. He was also music director and church organist at Good Shepherd Lutheran, Hanover Lutheran and St. Andrew Lutheran, all in Cape Girardeau. Jim was employed at Procter & Gamble in Cape Girardeau more than 20 years.
As a child, Jim had a love for flying line control model airplanes, and with his children continued this hobby with remote control model airplanes. He formed the Show Me Air Kings and with a group of other modelers attended and performed air shows in Illinois and Missouri.
Loving survivors include his wife of 44 years, Marian of Jackson; four children, Matthew (Jennifer) Wunderlich of Fletcher, Missouri, Aaron (Regina) Wunderlich and Rebekah Wunderlich of Jackson, Daniel (Jennifer) Wunderlich of Christiana, Tennessee; five grandchildren, Shelby and Travis of Fletcher, Jacob and Jordan of Jackson, and Charlotte of Christiana; two brothers and a sister, Carey (Susan) Wunderlich and Cheryl (Darrell) Heck of Jackson, Duane (Carol) Wunderlich of Altenburg, Missouri; his mother-in-law, several brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, and several foster grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at St. Paul Lutheran Church.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the church, with the Rev. G. Robert Heimgartner officiating. Interment will be in Russell Heights Cemetery.
McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church and School or Saxony Lutheran High School.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at mccombsfuneralhome.com.
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.