James &8220;Emerson&8221; Evans, 88, of Northwood, Iowa, died Friday, Jan. 25, 2008, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood, Iowa.

A funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the First Lutheran Church, 309 N. Ninth St. in Northwood,with the Rev. Daniel R. Hart officiating. Burial will be in the Concordia Lutheran Church cemetery, rural Joice, Iowa, with military graveside honors conducted by members of Our Buddies VFW memorial post 6779 of Northwood, Iowa, and members of the Edward Tosel American Legion Post 110 of Manly. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service Wednesday at the church.

The family of James &8220;Emerson&8221; Evans has requested that memorial contributions be made to First Lutheran Church in Northwood, Iowa, Concordia Lutheran Cemetery, rural Joice or a charity of one&8217;s choice.

Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. S., Northwood, is handling the arrangements.

James Emerson Evans was born on Aug. 30, 1919, at Mason City, Iowa, the son of Martin and Maimie (Thompson) Evans. He was baptized at Bethany Lutheran Church in Joice, Iowa, and reaffirmed the faith of his baptism through confirmation at the Beaver Creek Lutheran Church, rural Joice, Iowa. He attended Joice Public school and graduated in 1938, and also attended Iowa State University at Ames, Iowa.

Emerson enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1941, and served in the 190th field artillery for 44 months in World War II in the European Theater. Following his service to his country he returned to Joice, Iowa, and was manager of the Saxerud Lumber Company for ten years in Joice, Iowa. In 1956, he was appointed Postmaster at Joice, Iowa, and served in that position for 34 1/2 years.

He was united in marriage to Sylvia (Brunsvold) on Sept. 19, 1948, at Concordia Lutheran Church at rural Joice, Iowa.

Emerson was a longtime faithful member of Bethany Lutheran Church at Joice and was a member and also president of the church council for several years. He was active in town affairs, a member of the Joice City Council for six years, served on the Joice Fire Department, and was a member of the Worth County Historical Society.

Emerson enjoyed many sports, hunting, fishing, golfing, and especially baseball. He was a baseball player on the Joice town baseball team.

In 1994, Emerson and Sylvia moved to Northwood, Iowa, and joined First Lutheran Church.

Emerson was a life member of Our Buddies VFW Memorial Post 6779 of Northwood, and the Edward Tosel American Legion Post 110 of Manly for 60 years.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 58 years, Sylvia Evans of Northwood, Iowa; sister-in-law, Ione Evans of Faribault; nephews, Russell (Jane) Evans of Louisville, Colo., Mark (Michele) Evans of Faribault and Douglas (Betty) Evans of Zimmerman; one great-nephew, Eric Christianson of Joice; and many extended family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and five brothers and a sister, Homer, Carol, Russell, Ernest, Lynn, and Donald.