James Kimm "Jim" Mayhew

James Kimm Mayhew was born December 20, 1928 to Rex O Mayhew and Berenice D (Kimm) Mayhew in Newhall, Benton County, IA and passed away peacefully Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at Vintage Hills in Indianola, IA. Jim was raised in Blairstown IA where he graduated along with 5 other classmates in May of 1946. Jim spent his younger years working or hanging out at his grandparent's (Gus and Anna Kimm) general store and homestead. Jim relished in stories about going to the store and enjoying ice cream almost every day and fishing and hunting trips with his grandfather and other family members.

Jim attended Grinnell College in the fall of 1946 and later transferred and graduated from Upper Iowa University with a Bachelor of Science degree in August of 1950. Upper Iowa University is where Jim met the LOVE of his life Patricia Louise Martin and on October 7, 1950 they were married in Oelwein, IA. After their wedding the two of them boarded a train and moved to Laramie, Wyoming where Jim continued his education and pursued a Master of Science in Zoology at the University of Wyoming graduating in August 1951. After graduating Jim and Pat moved to Fox Lake, Illinois where he worked for the Illinois Conservation Commission. Then a year later they moved to Spirit Lake, IA where he began his career with the Iowa Conservation Commission from 1953-1977. In 1977 Jim was promoted to the Chief of Fisheries for the Department of Natural Resources for the State of Iowa and retired from this position with a total of almost 40 years for the State in 1992. Jim served his public duties in Spirit Lake, IA, Lake Red Rock, Red Haw State Park and Rathbun Lake area in South Central Iowa region. He was very involved in many other Iowa lakes and streams throughout his career. His primary goals in his career were to enhance fishing and education in the State of Iowa and surrounding areas. Jim's work has been published in approximately 99 newspaper and magazine articles during his career, and he wrote or co-authored several books published in relation to fishing and waterways with his greatest achievement being his contributions towards the revision of the Iowa Fish and Fishing book in 1987 as the original book had been written in 1951.

Jim and Pat lived a full life with much love for each other and family. They traveled to many areas in the United States in pursuit of his Mayhew genealogy and tracing his ancestor's expedition from Martha's Vineyard to Erie County, NY to Sheboygan, WI to Benton County, IA. They also traveled to many National Parks and enjoyed hiking, fishing, and camping with the Grand Tetons being one of their favorites. In their later years they made annual October trips around their anniversary date to Grand Marais. Jim and Pat lived a full life with much love for each other and family. Jim and Pat enjoyed traveling, reading, gardening, music and following their 7 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren's activities.

Jim was proceeded in death by his parents Rex O Mayhew and Berenice D (Kimm)Mayhew-Kanke and Pat's parents Walter and Evylin Martin. His brother John Mayhew and sister Mary (Mayhew) Durfey and brother-in-law Dan Turpin and brother and sister-in law Walter and Yvonne (Vonnie) Martin and Ronald Kanke (Berenice's second husband).

Those left to cherish his memory is his wife of 75 years Patricia Mayhew of Indianola, IA. His daughters Renee (Mayhew) and Dean Konrad of Cedar Rapids, IA and their families Sara (Konrad) and Tony Baranowski; children Samuel and Lucy Baranowski; Peter and Hope Konrad; their children Vivien and Zoe Konrad. Vicky (Mayhew) and David Edwards of Chariton, IA and their families Becky (Edwards) and Kurt Needles; daughter Maggie Needles (Zack Chiri); Katie (Edwards) and Jarod Young; daughter Olivia Young; Amy (Edwards) and Jansen Stuart; children Cy and Lundy Stuart. Toni (Mayhew) and Steve Irving of Chariton, IA and their families Nick Irving and Oren Shtayermman; their children Everett and Emery; Andy Irving (Lindsay Harris) and Andy's children Kinnick, Mason, Dudley, and Harper Irving. His sister Joyce (Mayhew) Turpin of Bloomington, IN and Brother-in-law Aldin Durfey of Cedar Rapids, IA, and sister-in-law Carolyn Mayhew or Jasonville, IN and many nieces and nephews and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, October 12th from 1:00pm-3:00pm at the Warren County Izaak Walton League at 16383 118th Ave, Indianola, IA. Memorials may be directed to Jim's family in care of Vicky Edwards 417 S 8th St, Chariton, IA 50049. A donation will be made in Jim's honor to the DNR's Fish & Wildlife Trust Fund.

The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to the staff of Vintage Hills and Suncrest Hospice in Indianola, IA for their care and services to Jim during his last 2 years in the memory care unit.

"Everyone should believe in something. I believe I'll go fishing." – Henry David Thoreau