James Edward Kirchner

James Edward Kirchner (Jim), 90, was called home to be with his Savior Thursday afternoon, October 26^th at the Regency Care Center in South Sioux City, NE. He was surrounded by Janet, his loving wife of 71 years, and his two daughters, Pat Wojcik and Joyce Hammerstrom.  Funeral services will be on Saturday, November 18^th at the Mohr and Becker-Hunt Funeral Home, 1431 West 29^th St., South Sioux City, NE.  Visitation with the family present will begin at 11:00 with services at 11:30. Lunch will be served immediately following the service in the social hall at Mohr and Becker-Hunt.  Burial will be at a later date.

Jim was born in Wakefield, Nebraska on May 15, 1933, to Edward and Bonnell (Meyer) Kirchner.  He was the oldest of three children, having two sisters JoAnn (Kirchner) Hattig and Jeanette (Kirchner) Dolph.  He was raised on a farm close to Concord, NE and graduated from Concord High School in 1951.  He was active in sports playing basketball and baseball.  But the real passion of his life was farming.  On a blind date in January of 1951, he met his soulmate, Janet Fegley of Dixon and they were married on June 6, 1952.  Jim and Janet farmed in the Concord area until moving to South Sioux City in January of 1971 where he worked at Wilson Concrete until his retirement in 1992.  The couple had four children Jim, Kurtis, Patricia and Joyce.  They attended the First Evangelical Free Church of Sioux City.

Everyone that knew Jim realized the old saying “you can take the man out of the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the man”.   He passionately stayed attached to farming throughout his life, intently following every growing season.  Neighbors around Jim and Janet’s South Sioux City home saw the farmer in him each year as he grew flowers and vegetables around their house.  One year he successfully planted and grew cotton from seeds brought back from the winter spent in Arizona and was highlighted in the Dakota County Star for the accomplishment of growing cotton in Nebraska.  But the true evidence of his farming roots was his love for everything John Deere.  He collected John Deere tractor model replicas and loved to wear his John Deere shirts and caps. 

Jim is survived by his loving wife, Janet, his sons Jim (Dee) Kirchner of Lincoln, Kurtis Kirchner of Aurora, CO, and daughters Patricia (Mike) Wojcik of South Sioux City, NE, Joyce Hammerstrom also of South Sioux City, NE, and his sister Jeanette (Dick) Dolph of Geneva, NE.  Jim and Janet have 9 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. 

Memorials to Global Assist.  www.goglobalassist.org or PO Box 57393, Lincoln, NE 68505