James "Jim" L. Strouth

Ashton, Iowa James L. Jim Strouth, age 85 of Ashton, IA died Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at the Sibley Nursing & Rehab in Sibley. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 5, 2010 at the St. Marys Catholic Church in Ashton, with Father John Vakulskas as celebrant. Burial will follow in the St. Marys Catholic Cemetery, with military honors by the William Ben Hoffman American Legion Post No. 290 of Ashton. Visitation will be Sunday, April 4th from 4:00 " 9:00 p.m. with family present from 6:00 " 9:00 p.m., with a rosary at 4:00 p.m. and a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Marys Catholic Church in Ashton. James L. Strouth was born on November 22, 1924, the son of Nicholas and Clara (Seivert) Strouth, on the family farm near Ashton, IA. He grew up in Ashton and attended St. Joseph Catholic School and later graduated from the Ashton High School. He enlisted in the Army on April 9, 1945 and served as an Automotive Mechanic until October 11, 1946, when he was honorably discharged. On June 4, 1951, Jim was united in marriage to M. Irene Thiner at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Brewster, MN. The couple moved onto Jims family farm and raised eight children there until September 7, 1992, when they retired from farming and moved into Ashton. Jim was a member of the St. Marys Catholic Church, William Ben Hoffman American Legion Post 290 of Ashton and the Knights of Columbus. He liked to golf, play cards, loved to farm and especially enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. Jim is survived by his wife of just short of fifty-nine years, Irene Strouth of Ashton, IA; eight children, Clara (husband, Jim) Miller of Sioux Falls, SD, Janice (husband, Robert) Iedema, Peter (wife, Pat) Strouth, Donna (husband, Mike) Johnson, Larry Strouth and special friend Lori Voss, Theresa Tremmel and fianc Mark Ishmael, Bonnie (husband, Walt) Wiersma, and Mary (husband, Kelly) Johnson all of Ashton, IA; eighteen grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Dorothy Nasers of Worthington, MN and Ruth Archer of Muskegon, MI; brother-in-law, Louis Ripperger of Glenwood, MN; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Virginia Ripperger; grandson, Shaun Robert Iedema; and two brothers-in-law, Robert Archer and Roy Nasers.