James A Davis

North Mankato Mortuary - NORTHVIEW
388-2288

Jim Davis of Mankato passed away on Wednesday, January 6th at the Mayo Coronary ICU in Rochester from complications that stemmed from a heart attack he suffered on Monday, December 27th. He was just a few weeks short of his 77th birthday.

Jim's Funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, January 10, 2011 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church (720 S. Second Street) in Mankato. Visitation will be held from 2-5 p.m., Sunday at North Mankato Mortuary - Northview (2060 Commerce Drive, North Mankato) and will continue one hour before service at church on Monday. Private family burial will be in Woodland Hills Memorial Park, Mankato. The family prefers memorials to go to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, or donor's choice.

James Arthur Davis was born January 21, 1934 in a small house in Lake Crystal, MN. He was one of two sons born to Virgil Davis and Elnora Hamann. Virgil was of Welsh / English lineage and Elnora was German. Jim spent his childhood in Lake Crystal and like many depression babies he learned very early that everyone needed to help "earn their keep". This created a work ethic which survives in all his children. Jim developed his love for hunting and fishing by helping put food on the table at a young age and by the age of 11 he ran one of the biggest paper routes in town. Jim graduated from Lake Crystal High School in 1952 and went on to Mankato Vocational school to be trained as a TV repairman. While going to Vo-Tech Jim started working at Madsen's grocery store where he met his future bride (Shirley), who also worked in the produce department. Even though he got his Vo-tech degree and repaired TV's part time, Jim never left Madsen's Foods. Ironically, Jim passed on a chance to take his new technical skills to a company that was just starting to get into computers called IBM. He ended up spending 46 years with Madsen's, moving from store to store, even after the chain was sold to Randall's Foods in the 1970's. Jim managed Madsen's Value Center on Park Lane in Mankato for most of his career and was very proud to have kept this store going for so many years. A Cub Foods store now stands near where the Value Center once was. Jim retired in 1998.

Jim Davis married Shirley Kaul at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Good Thunder on August 11, 1956 and it was a great milestone when the entire family celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with them in August of 2006. They bought their first house on Webster Ave. in North Mankato where they lived when two of their children were born. Later they moved to a house on Porter Ave. near the MSU campus and had three more children. Eventually they moved to Skyline Drive, where they have lived ever since. When their children were young Jim & Shirley took the family on many memorable vacations. Jim & Shirley have been great travelers their entire lives and have probably visited every state in the union at least once. They also made trips to several foreign countries including some in Europe. Shortly after Dad retired they purchased a park model trailer in Surprise, AZ where they have enjoyed spending their winters the last several years. In the summer they have "held court" at their cabin on Lake Jefferson, MN for many years, but Dad always needed to get home to take care of his precious tomato garden. Jim loved his "clicker" and would watch any sporting event that was on TV, the Twins, college football & basketball and he had a lifelong love / sometimes hate relationship with the Vikings. Dad loved technical gadgets of any kind and he knew far more about computers than anyone else his age.

Jim was blessed with good health until the final crisis that took his life. His wife Shirley and his family are profoundly sad to lose him at such a relatively young age. But we take solace in the fact that this was God's will. We will miss his intelligence, sense of humor and ever present guidance in our lives. We will always cherish our memories of him and the impact he had on all who knew him. Jim was a special man and we so appreciate the fact that he really did have a wonderful life!

Jim is survived by his wife, Shirley; five children, twelve grandchildren, two grandsons-in-law, and one great grandchild: John (Kari) Davis of Chanhassen, MN and their daughter, Hannah; Nancy (Todd) Trautman of North Mankato, and their children, Leah (Andrew) Garry and their daughter, Emerson, Adam, Jacob, Jessica, and Rachel Trautman; Tami (George) Wullschleger of North Mankato, and Tami's children, Gabrielle (Travis) Palmer, Elizabeth, and Landon Macrafic; Bob (Tracy) Davis of North Mankato and their daughter, Gretchen; Becky (James) Schreiner of Sauk Centre and their children, Isaac & Ana; brother, Oryle Davis of Medford; many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; twin infant sons; daughter-in-law, Michelle Davis; sister-in-law, JoAnn Davis.