James J. Gemberling, 89, formerly of Union Mills and Westville, IN, died March 30, 2014. For the past four years, Jim was lovingly cared for by his daughter, Shurla, and son-in-law, David Clark, in St. Augustine, FL.
Jim was born in 1925 in Union Mills. He enlisted in the Army at age 17 and joined his unit, the 70th Tank Battalion, in Africa. During his service, he was deployed to Europe to partake in, among other battles, the famous World War II Battle of the Bulge. He proudly earned a Purple Heart for his bravery and commitment to his country and fellow servicemen.
When he returned home he started his family of three children with his wife, M. Virginia Gemberling, to whom he was married for 47 years. Jim was a dairy and crop farmer in Westville for most of his life. His son, Ed Gemberling, continues today, carrying on Jim’s passion for farming the land.
Later, Jim showed his versatility and worked as a heavy-equipment operator for Local 150 in Indiana, and later served as construction superintendent at both Chicago O’Hare and Miami airports. After retiring from construction, he enjoyed his winter months fishing at Lake Okeechobee, FL.
Jim was also active in the buying, showing and trading of draft horses and was a proud founder of the LaPorte County 4-H Draft Horse Club. Later in his retirement he lived in Sparta, TN, where he enjoyed restoring John Deere tractors with his wife, Barb. While residing in Tennessee he acquired a group of friends who were never forgotten in his final years. He enjoyed telling stories of their life’s adventures, plus, of course, the occasional taste for that Tennessee Apple Pie Moonshine!
Jim will always be remembered for his quick wit and fun-loving nature. His sense of humor entertained his friends and neighbors wherever he was residing. His last four years were challenging with his health issues, but he never passed up the opportunity to enjoy a “meeting of the minds” at the end of the driveway with his new friends and neighbors in St. Augustine. God bless you all for making his final days anything but mundane.
Jim will be greatly missed by all.
He was preceded in death by his parents James and Lyle Gemberling, and brothers Bob and Art Gemberling.
James is survived by his daughters, Shurla Clark of St. Augustine and Sherry Shipley of LaPorte; son, Ed Gemberling of LaPorte; sister, Agnes Jones of LaPorte; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and his former wife, Virginia Gemberling of LaPorte.
A military honors memorial service will be held at Union Mills Cemetery at a later date. Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, LaPorte, is handling arrangements.
Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP, as well as at www.cutlerfuneralhome.com.