James "Jim" Wetzeler

1952 - 2011

James "Jim" Wetzeler, age 59, of Boone, died May 29, 2011, at the Dr. P. Phillips Hospital in Orlando, Fla.
James Herbert Wetzeler was born on April 19, 1952, in Le Mars, the son of Charles and Elsie (Larsen) Wetzeler. He graduated from Spirit Lake High School in 1970 and from South Dakota State University in 1975 with a degree in pharmacy.
On May 25, 1974, he married Catherine Eiselt in Spirit Lake. Jim was a registered pharmacist and worked for Davis Drug in Vermillion, S.D., from August of 1975 to May of 1976, the Clinic Pharmacy in Spirit Lake, from June of 1976 to January of 1987.
Jim and his family moved to Boone in February of 1987 and he began working for Don Tucker until he became owner and manager in 1992 of Medical Associates Pharmacy, expanding to add Clinic Pharmacy, and in 2006, Jim built and opened the Somerset Pharmacy in Ames. He also owned Phast Photo in Boone.
Jim was an active member of the Church of the Sacred Heart and served as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion and participated with the Christian Family Movement for 22 years. Jim was a past president of the Boone Day-Breakers Kiwanis, past president and organizer of the American Heart Association in Spirit Lake and Boone, and a past president and board member of the Boone Little League. He was also a member of the American Pharmacists Association, Boone Chamber of Commerce, and a yearly participant in the Johnny Appleseed Program. Jim was an adjunct instructor in the clinical setting for pharmacy students for Drake University and a former board member of the State Bank in Spirit Lake.
His hobbies included playing golf, hunting and fishing, gardening, reading, woodworking and snowmobiling – including a yearly trip with his sons, brother, nephew and friends. He also liked to go motorcycling, target shooting, boating, hiking, walking and attending the Drake Relays with his father and his sons. He enjoyed photography and traveling, with a special love of Kauai, Hawaii, with Cathy. He loved eating anything with cherries or raisins. Most of all, Jim loved spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren.
Jim is preceded in death by his grandparents, Otto and Ruth Larsen, Herbert Wetzeler, and Yetta (Wetzeler) and Clifford Olson, and a brother-in-law, Lloyd Schultz.
He is survived by his wife, Cathy of Boone; two sons, Rob and wife Allison of Ankeny and Brian of Boone; two daughters, Angie Steuer and husband Matt of Waverly and Jenny Wetzeler of Shawnee, Kansas; his parents, Charles and Elsie Wetzeler of Spirit Lake; a brother, Bill Wetzeler and wife Kristin, and two sisters, Carol Schultz and Judy Nece and husband Jim, all of Spirit Lake; five grandchildren, William and Jacob Steuer and Cooper, Charlie, and Gracie Wetzeler; niece, Stephanie Reicks and husband Graig of Brookings, S.D.; nephew, Andy Schultz and wife Becca of Spirit Lake; nephews, Nick and Ben Wetzeler of Spirit Lake; and several other nieces and nephews.
A funeral mass will be Saturday, June 4, at 9:30 a.m. at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Boone with Rev. Steve Brodersen officiating. Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Boone.
Friends may call at the Ryan Gym of the Sacred Heart School, Twelfth and Marshall streets in Boone, on Friday from 2 to 8 p.m. where the family will be present from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and a vigil service will be at 7:30 p.m.
Those wishing to express their sympathy through a memorial gift may direct their gift to the family in memory of Jim for charities of the family's choice.
Schroeder Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall in Boone is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made to www.schroedermemorialchapel.com.