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James D. Baxley

BAXLEY, BRANDENBURGER, BRUNS, CHADWELL, HIGGINS, KELLEY, MCCELLAN, NAIR, ST AUBIN, WALLACE

Posted By: Cindy (email)
Date: 1/26/2025 at 10:38:06

James D. Baxley, 57, of Winthrop, IA passed away suddenly on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at his home in Winthrop, IA.

James was born on August 24, 1967, in New Albany, IN, the son of Robert T. and Marilyn J. (McCellan) Baxley. He grew up in New Albany and was a 1984 graduate of Jefferson High School. James went on to enlist into the United States Navy. He served for over ten years as a Culinary Specialist on the U.S.S. America, Guatemala, and USS Glover. He retired from the Navy Reserves in 1998. After his time in the Navy, James moved to Le Sueur Minnesota and worked for a cheese factory for a short time. He moved to Waterloo, Iowa and soon joined the Iowa Army National Guard shortly after. He served in the National Guard for four years and retired as a Sergeant in 2002. He served as a cook. Jim was very proud of his military service and displayed his patriotism in a special garden at home.

In 2003 Jim met Lori A. (Higgins) Bruns, and they were married on June 24, 2005, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Walker, IA. They made their home together in Winthrop, IA. They brought their families together and treated each other’s kids as if they were their own.

James loved his family and enjoyed being able to take care of them. He enjoyed going on vacations as a family and going golfing with Lori and friends. He loved camping and going fishing with his family. When his family wasn’t around James loved to focus on caring for and spoiling the fur babies and always making sure the squirrels (one even ate from his hand) and birds were always fed. Animals rallied around him. He was often called the “dog whisperer” (they had him wrapped around their paws). He also enjoyed watching sports or the news.

He is survived by his wife, Lori Baxley, Winthrop, IA, his children, Elizabeth (Biju) Nair of San Jose, CA, Rita (Peter) St. Aubin of Waterloo, IA, Cynthia (Dartavious Banks) Bruns of Waterloo, IA, Katie Bruns of Winthrop, IA, Bryanna Baxley of Phoenix, AZ, Jack Chadwell of New Braunfels, TX, and Stephanie (Ryan) Brandenburger of Phoenix, AZ, six grandchildren, a sister Billie Jene (Steven) Wallace of Sellersburg, IN, and several nieces and nephews.

James is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Marilyn Baxley, a son, Christopher Bruns, his father and mother-in-law, Richard and Darlene Higgins, two brothers, Donald and Robert Baxley, a sister-in-law, Carol Baxley, and a great nephew Cyrus Kelley.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Independence, IA, with Very Rev. David Beckman presiding.

Burial will be held at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Winthrop, IA. Visitation will be held from 4 PM until 7 PM on Friday, January 24th, at the Reiff Family Center – Funeral Home & Crematory in Independence, IA.

A Parish Vigil Service will be held at 7 PM on Friday at the funeral home.


 

Buchanan Obituaries maintained by Cindy Marshall.
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