James P. "Jim" Shields

James Patrick Shields, age 76, of Plymouth, WI, passed away peacefully on September 14th, surrounded by his loving family.

Born on November 13, 1948, in Milwaukee, WI, Jim was the son of George and Mary (Roeckel) Shields. Tragically, at the age of 14, Jim lost both of his parents, a turning point that forced him to mature quickly. His early years were defined by hard work, resilience, and an unshakable determination to forge ahead. At just 15 years old, he began working as a cook at the grill in Walgreens on 27th and National, hitchhiking from Wauwatosa each day to get there. Over time, Jim worked his way up to manage the diner. During this time, Jim also met the love of his life, Mary, with whom he would share a lifetime of love, hard work, and dreams.

Jim's strong work ethic continued to guide him throughout his career. He worked at Kohls Grocery Store, where he formed lifelong friendships and became a regular participant in late-night Sheepshead games. Jim graduated from Pius XI High School and went on to attend Milwaukee Area Technical College, where he trained to be an electrician. His career took off when he joined Sorgel Electric.

In 1970, Jim married Mary, and together, they started building their future, purchasing several residential investment properties. Over the years, Jim and Mary worked tirelessly on their properties, often dedicating their nights and weekends to fixing them up.

In 1977, Jim and Mary made a life-changing decision to purchase the Foley-Steiner Hardware store in Plymouth, WI, renaming it Plymouth Hardware. With the help of a longtime friend from Milwaukee, Bill Ehrgott, they added furniture to the vacant space on the second floor and soon expanded their business to include Sit-n-Sleep Furniture. This venture further solidified their ties to the Plymouth community. Jim was not only a successful business owner but also a committed member of the local community, deeply involved in several organizations and a devoted parishioner at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and later St. Thomas Aquinas.

In 2000, Jim and Mary purchased the Fairfield Plaza Mall, relocating their hardware and furniture store to the vacant Prange Way building on Eastern Ave. The furniture store was renamed Plymouth Furniture. Their son, Mike, returned to the family business in 2010, continuing the legacy of hard work and commitment. In 2011, Jim and Mary began spending part of the year in Mesa, Arizona, where they enjoyed the warm climate and retirement with close friends from Plymouth.

Jim had a love for the outdoors, enjoying over 30 years of fishing trips to Canada, deer hunting in Northern Wisconsin, sporting clays, and monthly poker nights with friends. He and Mary shared a passion for travel, exploring destinations around the world, from Costa Rica to Ireland, Hawaii, and Europe. Their travels included memorable Caribbean cruises and a river cruise, which were some of the happiest moments of Jim's life. Jim and Mary just celebrated 55 years of marriage.

Jim often said how lucky and grateful he was for finding the Plymouth and larger Sheboygan County communities. Plymouth welcomed his family in 1977 and supported his small 3,000 square foot hardware store that grew into a much larger second-generation furniture store. He was privileged to have met so many wonderful customers and dedicated employees that helped grow his small business. He was blessed have found Plymouth and it's amazing citizens.

Jim is survived by his beloved wife, Mary; children: Patrick (Amy) Shields, Michael (Amy) Shields, and Kathleen (Jonathan) Talich; grandchildren: Alexa Gutierrez, GM Shields, Finnegan Shields, Fiona Shields, James Patrick Shields, Genevieve Talich, and Lauryn Talich. Jim will always be remembered for his life rich in purpose, his unwavering loyalty, joy, faith, love, and friendships. His legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.

Funeral Services will be held at Suchon Funeral Home on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. Visitation will take place from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a prayer service to follow at 5:30 p.m. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery in Milwaukee.

The Suchon Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Plymouth is assisting the family.