James R. Kontz

James R. "Jim" Kontz, 69, of Sioux City joined his Lord and parents on Monday, Feb. 11, 2008, at a Sioux City hospital following a brief but courageous battle with cancer.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Michael Catholic Church, with the Rev. Gary Snyder officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 2 to 8 p.m. Friday, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a vigil service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel.

Jim was born Aug. 12, 1938, to Arthur and Lucille (Bertrand) Kontz at home in rural Alcester, S.D. The family later settled and farmed near Junius, S.D., west of Madison, S.D.

He married Dorothy Louise Boorman on July 15, 1961, at Immaculate Conception Church in Sioux City. He was a member of the South Dakota Army National Guard. He was a very hard worker, sometimes holding three jobs at a time including initial construction on both the Yankton Dam and I-29 through Sioux City into South Dakota; beef packing houses; driving semis coast to coast; Sioux City Brick and Tile; owned Kontz Standard Service Station (later Amoco) in Hawarden, Iowa and Leeds for 18 years; and worked 18 1/2 years in the street department with the city of Sioux City until his retirement in 2003.

He was a member of St. Michael Catholic Church. Jim loved outdoors. His favorite activities were camping, fishing, bowling, motorcycling, gardening and lawn work. He also enjoyed carpentry, designed and made many unique time-saving projects and was an ace mechanic. He was an avid poker player and had a great sense of humor.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; daughter, Tammi (Brian) Binneboese; son, Timothy (Jana) Kontz; daughter, Tina Lucart, all of Sioux City; sisters and their husbands, Kathleen (Robert) Utesch of Hawarden, Iowa, Clara (Duane) Lawless of Mitchell, S.D., and Diana (William) Shoemaker of Madison, S.D.; grandchildren, Shannon (Ryan) Runger, Shaun Binneboese, T.J., Matthew, Allison and Nathan Kontz, Chloe and Caleb Lucart; stepgrandchildren, Heather and Jamie Karrer; his mother-in-law, Lillie Boorman of Littlefork, Minn.; former daughter-in-law, Jeanne Medbourn; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Alan Bradley; and father-in-law, Frank Boorman.

He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the June E. Nylen Cancer Center or Hospice of Siouxland.

Pallbearers will be Shannon Runger, Shaun Binneboese, T.J. Kontz, Matthew Kontz, Tim Kontz and Brian Binneboese. Honorary pallbearers will be Joe Mills and Tom Gates.