Obituaries » James F. Westphal
James F. Westphal
January 31, 1939 - May 17, 2022
James Frederick Westphal, 83, died Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at his home in Ames with his family by his side.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. with visitation preceding the Mass from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., and interment at Story Memorial Gardens following Mass.
Jim was born in Buffalo, New York on January 31, 1939, to Kathryn Esther (Hawker) and John August Westphal. He grew up in the Western New York area and having an artistic bent, he graduated from State University of New York at Buffalo with a degree in Art Education in 1960. After pushing an art cart up and down school halls for three years, he decided the artist’s life was not for him. Jim then became a firefighter for Tonawanda, New York, for fourteen years where he rose to the position of captain. Having a background of education and firefighting, he became a Fire Service Instructor at Iowa State University, retiring in 1995. Jim was then business manager at St. Cecilia Catholic Church for four years.
If you were to stop in at Jim’s home, you might find him playing the organ and singing along with his beautiful voice. You might also find him working on and running his model trains or baking a cherry pie or “cimma kuchen”.
Jim is survived by his wife of 57 years, Elaine; daughters, Christine Ann Sikes, Teresa Lynn Hawks and Liane Marie (Gerald) Jennings; grandchildren, Matthew, Taylor, and Drew Wilson, Katie, Megan, and Briana Jennings, and Adam and Jeremy Hawks; great grandchild, Elliott Wilson and Sage Lay; and sister, Joan Westphal.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The Westphal family would like to thank all the staff at Mary Greeley Hospice for their attentiveness and loving care.