James "Jim" L. Weld

James (Jim) Leslie Weld, age 74, of rural Clarion, passed away at Iowa Specialty Hospital on Friday, October 17, 2014.

Funeral services for Jim Weld will be held at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, October 21, 2014, at the Clarion Church of Christ, 420 North Main Street in Clarion, with Pastor Warren Curry officiating. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion.  

Visitation will be held on Monday, October 20, 2014 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East in Clarion, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday.

Jim was born on November 17, 1939 to Melvin and Addie (Ahrends) Weld in Clarion. He was raised and schooled in the Dows and Clarion area and graduated from Clarion High School with the class of 1958. He served in the U.S. Army from 1961-1964, being stationed for 27 of those months in the Panama Canal Zone. After his stint in the service he returned to the Clarion area where he began farming.

On September 27, 1969, he married Karen (Zirbel) Weld at the Clarion First United Methodist Church. The couple made their home for 45 years on the Ahrends family farm, which became a Century Farm in 2002.  Jim and Karen had two daughters - Jamie and Merry. The family enjoyed traveling together, riding horses, attending various church events/activities, and spending time with friends and extended family members.

During his farm career he served as a member of Clarion Buckaroos Saddle Club and Clarion Lions Club, on the boards of the FmHA and Farm Services, and as the chairperson of the Wright County Extension Council. Jim was awarded the Outstanding Young Farmer Award in 1975 by the Clarion Jaycees. He retired from farming in 1993 due to health issues. Jim enjoyed fishing, playing cards, having daily coffee with friends, and being around people of all ages; he faithfully attended the Clarion Church of Christ.

As Jamie penned the day of her dad’s death:  “my dad was a sharer of things:  vehicles, farm equipment, resources and time….”

He is survived by his wife – Karen; daughter, Jamie (Tim) Champion; grandchildren – Luke, Molly, and Noah Champion; sister - Melvene (Dean) Duitscher;  son-in-law  -  Ed Leighton-Dick (Heather, Eva, Hannah); and Australian ‘daughter’ Karen, (Mick, Thomas, William, Emily); nieces, nephews, and a host of family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Melvin and Addie Weld; and daughter, Merry (Weld) Dick.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Jim & Karen Weld Family Fund (benefitting community events) or the Clarion Church of Christ Endowment (for church outreaches).