James Paul "Jim" Kowalkowski

James Paul Kowalkowski

Passed away peacefully in his home on Thursday, August 7th, 2025 at the age of 79. Loving and supportive husband for over 55 years to Marlene (nee Osborn). Dedicated dad to Delana, Andrea (the late Richard) Riemer and Andrew (Kimberly). Cherished grandpa to Garrett, Devin, Brett and Morgan. Brother to Mike (Sue) and Carol (Ron) Schmidt and Patricia (the late Robert) Schmidt. Best friend for many years to Don (the late Nancy) Salentine. Also survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A memorial visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 26th, from 10am-12pm at Heritage Funeral Homes (16880 W. National Ave. New Berlin). A memorial service will follow, beginning at 12/noon.

A devoted plumber, Jim took over the family business from his father in 1981 and was a self-made man who dedicated his life to his work and his family. He instilled a strong work ethic in his children, Andrew, Andrea, and Delana, proudly passing the plumbing business down to his son. Nothing brought him more joy than watching his family grow, and he took immense pride in being a loving grandpa.

In his downtime, Jim could often be found at local auctions, indulging his passion for woodwork, or tinkering with tractors and farming equipment-he had a knack for fixing just about anything. In fact, he always seemed to know the answer, and if he didn't, he would dive deep into researching how to fix it, often spending many hours on research.

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