James "Jim" Irlmeier

James (Jim) Wilfred Irlmeier, a wonderful dad, husband, grandpa/papa, brother, uncle, cousin and friend, passed away peacefully at home on September 26, 2026 at the age of 79.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, October 2, 2026 at St. Elizabeth Seton Church – St. John Paul II Parish in Glidden. Fr. Randy Schon will be the Celebrant and Con-Celebrant will be Fr. Merlin Schrad. Lector for the Mass will be Samantha Erickson. Music for the Mass will be by the St. Elizabeth Seton Choir with Mary Ross as organist. Eucharistic Minister will be Judy Mayer. Gift bearers will be grandchildren Kali, Tyler and Zachary. Casket bearers will be Carlan Peters, Jason Sibenaller, Kyler Sibenaller, Colby Siebnaller, Brad Douglas, and Jake Wallace. Honorary casket bearers will be Jim’s nieces and nephews. Burial will be in the Merle Hay Memorial Cemetery Glidden. Military honors will be conducted by the Glidden American Legion.

Visitation will be held at St. Elizabeth Seton Church – St. John Paul II Parish in Glidden from 5 – 7 P.M. on Thursday. The casket will be moved to St. Elizabeth Seton Church at 9:30 A.M. on Friday where visitation will resume until 10:15 A.M. prior to the Mass.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Glidden and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnnadwoodhouse.com

Jim was born on February 14, 1947 to Wilfred (Bud) and Marian (Toni) Irlmeier. Jim graduated from Kuemper High School in 1965 where he was a standout in baseball and the discus/shotput in track where he earned the nickname Rock (that carried with him throughout his lifetime). At the age of 19 he enlisted in the Navy and served in the Vietnam War from June 1966 - October 1969 with time on the USS Clarion Riverboat. He was also a prominent fast pitch pitcher for the Navy during his time of service.

Jim married his soulmate Peggy Clark on June 20, 1970. They welcomed their son Brett (Buck) in October 1971 and Melissa (Missy) in May 1976. Jim loved to golf. He enjoyed the game, the competition, and the occasional opportunity to introduce a golf club to the nearest pond after a particularly unfortunate shot. Somewhere out there, several of his clubs are probably still enjoying retirement at the bottom of a water hazard.

He also loved fishing and bowling, but perhaps his favorite sport was being a fan. Jim could always be found cheering loudly and proudly for his children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews at their sporting events. Whether they were winning, losing, or wondering exactly what the coach was thinking, Jim was there—and we always knew he was in our corner.

Jim was also incredibly proud of his service to his community. He proudly served a total of 12 years as Commander of Merle Hay Legion Post 386, giving his time and energy to an organization and a cause that meant a great deal to him. His commitment to his fellow veterans and his community was just one of the many things that made us so proud of him.

But above all else, Jim was a family man. He loved his family fiercely and took great pride in watching his children and grandchildren grow. He celebrated our accomplishments, supported us through the difficult times, and was always there to offer encouragement, advice, and—whether we asked for it or not—a little bit of his opinion.

He leaves behind his loving wife of 56 years, Peggy. He also leaves behind his 2 children: Brett (Buck), along with his wife Debra and granddaughter Kali and his daughter Melissa (Missy) and grandsons Tyler and Zach. Jim is survived by his brother Monte (Patricia) Irlmeier, sister Karen (Steve) Olberding and sister Lori (Dennis) Gregory along with several nieces and nephews (with whom he always had sticks of gum to shower them with upon demand).

He is preceded in death by his parents Wilfred (Bud) and Marian (Toni) Irlmeier as well as his mother and father-in-law Melvin and Darlene Clark.

He leaves behind countless memories, many good stories, a few questionable decisions, and a family who will miss him more than words can say.

We will miss his laughter, his stories, his encouragement, and the ability to find humor even in the darkest times.

And although we know he is no longer with us, we can still hear him saying:

“Keep your eye on the ball.”