James Feeley, 79

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Funeral services for James Herman Feeley, 79, of Albert Lea, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church. The Rev. Todd Walsh will officiate. Interment will be at Hillcrest Cemetery. Military honors will be occorded by area servicemens organizations. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church.
James died Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009, at St. John’s Lutheran Home.
James Herman Feeley was born on July 8, 1929, to Harold and Anne (Gustaveson) Feeley in Albert Lea. He grew up in Albert Lea and graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1947. Jim bought his first Harley Davidson at age 16. He was a member of the Falcon Motorcycle Club. In school Jim went to state for wrestling in his senior year. His coach that year was Mr. Maas. Jim enlisted in the United States Navy in 1951. He served four years. During that time he was on a mine sweeper, stationed in Charleston, S.C. and served six months overseas. On June 21, 1952, Jim was united in marriage to Dolores (Dolly) Schaeffer at the Church of St. Theodore in Albert Lea. He was employed at Midway Machine Shop and later at Vasco until his retirement in 1993. In 1993 Jim was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He was a member of the American Legion, Albert Lea Elks Lodge and Grace Lutheran Church. After his retirement, one of his hobbies was restoring old tractors. Jim had many friends and was loved by all who knew him.
Survivors include his wife, Dolly; children: John Feeley of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Jay (Laura) Feeley of Glenville; granddaughter, Jamie Lea of Fairbanks; step grandchildren: Nikki and Dylan Bartel; sisters and brothers-in-law: Allen and Mary Schaeffer, Lorraine and Doyle Haley and Joyce Embree; cousins: Ardie and Dave Osmundson and families, Jean and Morry Edge and family, Joan and Dale Anderson and family, Danny and Diane Titus and family, Laverne Titus and family, Denny and Karin Feeley and family and Dawn and Ronald Olson and family; many nieces and nephews.
James was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents; son, Michael, in 1985; and brother, Robert, in 1992.
Blessed be his memory.