A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held 12:30 p.m., Sat., April 23 at the Daniel Funeral Chapel in Clearwater for James Henry Mueller, age 88, who passed away peacefully in his sleep on February 23 in Mesa, Arizona. Fr. Frank Tomasiewicz will gather with family and friends to remember Jim and celebrate his life. Visitation will begin at 10:30 a.m. Military honors will be provided by the Clearwater American Legion Post #323.
Jim was born on March 10, 1927 in Gaylord, Minnesota to Alvin and Mary (Huffman) Mueller. The middle child of 3 brothers and 2 sisters, Jimmy grew up doted on by his ma and arguing with his pa. He graduated from Gaylord High School in 1945 and served his country in the U.S. Navy near the end of World War II. He was stationed and served as Seaman First Class on the island of New Caledonia in the South Pacific.
Arriving state side, he worked at the W. K. Kellogg Arab Horse Ranch in Pomona, California. Upon returning home, with fully loaded horse trailer in tow, he took his place alongside his brothers, father, and uncle in the family well drilling business. After a time he broke out into ventures of his own including moving grain bins and corn cribs. He had a massive boom truck, and it was an amazing event to watch.
During this time, he met and married Joyce Mavis Chaput. Together they raised six outstanding children, 2 boys and 4 girls, each of whom he loved dearly. He moved the family around a bit - living in Paynesville, where he drove truck as a beer distributor, eventually, coming back to settle in Gaylord. He started his own family business, insulating houses throughout southern Minnesota with his older children helping out.
Jim decided to look for an inside job and picked up a position as a clerk with the Gaylord Post Office. After learning the ropes of the USPS, his career as public servant handed him a promotion as Postmaster with his own tiny office in Clearwater. So, in 1973, he began the transition to relocate the family “Up North”.
He retired from the USPS in March of 1987 and embraced his retirement with gusto. He became a “snowbird” almost immediately, soaking up the warm winter sun in Mesa, Arizona. During retirement, he was not one to sit still. He attended elder hostels, postmasters’ conventions, and traveled through Germany (land of his ancestors), Saudi Arabia, and southern Asia. He spent a little time on the road, traveling this country as a delivery agent of RVs which afforded him time to catch-up with relatives spread out all over the US. His family heritage was very important to him. His main purpose at this time was Keeper of the Family’s History, and he loved to spend time telling stories. He was well known among the senior dance crowd and was a regular at several bridge card clubs. He was active in many breakfast and lunch time social groups.
Jim is survived by five children, son, Tony (Janet) of Denver, CO and daughters, Cathy (Steve Dresler) of Chico, CA, Jamie (Rick) Thiessen of Clearwater, Marti (Paul) Marrinan of Sauk Rapids, and Julie of Minneapolis; daughter-in-law, Andrea Kingston of Mesa, AZ; former wife, Joyce Mueller. He was proud to be Grandpa Jim to 13 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. He has two surviving sisters, Sally Webster and Kathleen Peterson. He was Uncle Jimmy to many nieces and nephews.
Jim was preceded in death by his oldest child, son, Mike, by his parents and 3 brothers, Joe, Donnie, and Robert, as well as his longtime friend and companion, Loretta Pflepson. Jim donated his body to science; he will be buried alongside family members in St. Paul’s Cemetery in Gaylord, Minnesota.
