James F. Weis, 89, of Phoenix, Ariz.
James Weis
James “Jim” F. Weis, 89, of Phoenix, Arizona, formerly of Glencoe, died Friday, July 17, 2015, at the Hospice of the Valley Lund Home in Gilbert, Arizona.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, Aug. 1, at 11 a.m., at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Stewart. A gathering of family and friends will be Friday, July 31, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Hughes-Hantge Funeral Chapel in Stewart, and will continue Saturday for one hour prior to the Mass at the church.
The Rev. Gerald S. Miedl and Deacon Don Maiers, Mr. Weis’ nephew, will officiate. Music by Mr. Weis’ nephew and family, Mark and Cindy Maiers and family, will include “The Old Rugged Cross,” “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace,” “On Eagle’s Wings,” “Amazing Grace,” “America the Beautiful” and “Ave Maria.”
Lee Shappell will offer the eulogy. Readers will be Joe Winkel, Tom Maiers and Colleen Maiers. Gift bearers will be Sarah Webb Guidry, Michaela Winkel and Hannah Shappell. Urn bearers will be Zachary Shappell and Nathan Weis. Honorary urn bearers will be Chad Weis, Jacob Weis, Matthew Webb, Samuel Winkel, Bryan Kruger and Daniel Kruger.
Interment will be in the church cemetery. Military honors will be provided by Glencoe American Legion Post 95.
James Francis Weis was born Jan. 29, 1926, in Stewart, to Herman and Anna Weis. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Stewart. At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served three years during World War II. He then graduated from Minneapolis Vocational School in 1950.
On Nov. 11, 1950, he was united in marriage to Virginia Maiers at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Stewart.
Mr. Weis set up shop in Stewart before he moved Weis Upholstery to Glencoe five years later. He and Ginny also moved to Glencoe, where they raised their five children. People came from surrounding communities because they knew they were going to get great quality for a fair price from an honest man. His word and his handshake were golden. For 27 years, Mr. Weis also drove a school bus for the Glencoe School District. In 1992, he retired and closed Weis Upholstery. He and his wife began spending extended time in Arizona during the winter before they moved to the southwest full time in 2003.
Mr. Weis was a humble, dignified man. He never met a stranger. He could sit down and talk to anybody. He loved his retirement years, especially his patio that faced a golf course and his golf cart. In 2008, Mr. Weis was among aging veterans who had left school to go to war and who never got to walk at their graduations, and was invited by Hamilton High School to march at its graduation and receive a diploma.
He was a member of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Glencoe for 40 years. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Glencoe American Legion Post 95, DeGree-Fleisch American Legion Post 125 of Stewart, and Disabled American Veterans in Hutchinson.
He and his wife loved to travel. Fishing was among his favorite pastimes. He cherished his children and grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia Weis, of Phoenix, Arizona; children, Kathy (Art) Webb of Birmingham, Alabama, Jim P. Weis of Brownton, Bill (Evie) Weis of Pelican Rapids, Mary (Joe) Winkel of Windsor, California, and Patty (Lee) Shappell of Phoenix, Arizona; grandchildren, Matthew (Younghee) Webb, Sarah (Jonathan) Guidry, Jacob Weis, Chad Weis, Nathan (Mindy) Weis, Bryan (Amanda) Kruger, Daniel Kruger, Samuel (Sarah) Winkel, Michaela Winkel, Hannah Shappell and Zachary Shappell; great-grandchildren, Garrett Weis, Loralei Weis, Finn Kruger and Addison Guidry; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Margaret Maiers, Stan Maiers, Jeanine Maiers, Therese Kuttner, Sister Gen Maiers, Allan and Phyliss Maiers, Brennan Maiers, Sister Gracemarie Maiers, Maureen Rubishcko and Judy Maiers; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Marie (Frances) Hill and Louise Kielblock; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Henry and Grace Maiers; and by his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Sister Maryjean Maiers, Daniel Maiers, Paul Maiers, Joe Maiers, Sally Maiers, Jack and Dottie Maiers, Loy and Lucille Maiers, Ray and Dolly Maiers, Brenda Maiers and Patrick Maiers.
Memorials are preferred to the Hospice of the Valley Lund Home in Gilbert, Arizona, or to a charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements were with the Hughes-Hantge Funeral Home in Stewart.
