James Joseph Wachter

James "Jim" J. Wachter, 88, of Harpers Ferry, IA, died Saturday, December 15, 2018, at his home in rural Harpers Ferry. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 18th, at 10:00 AM at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, IA, with Rev. Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg officiating. The burial will be at St. Pius Cherry Mound Cemetery, rural Harpers Ferry. Friends may call from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Monday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

James Joseph Wachter was born April 13, 1930, in Waukon, IA, the son of Joseph and Leona (Livingston) Wachter. He graduated from Waukon High School in 1948. On June 13, 1953, he married Mary Moody at St. Pius Cherry Mound Catholic Church in rural Harpers Ferry, IA. Jim took over the family farm at the age of 18 when his father passed away and helped raise his four younger sisters along with his growing family. Later on he began driving Redi-Mix trucks and managing the Redi-Mix cement plant in Monona, IA, until he retired in 1992.

Jim or "Doc" had a great sense of humor and loved a good joke, a good game of cards or pool, along with an ice cold beer or two. Jim especially loved his family and friends; he will be missed by all who knew him.

Survivors include his wife of 65 years Mary Wachter of Harpers Ferry; his children: Connie (Bruce) Snitker of Harpers Ferry, Cindy (Gary) Egan of Waukon, Charlie (Jackie) Wachter of  Prairie du Chien, WI, and Gary (Meika) Wachter of Rochester, MN; 12 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; a sister Carol Fossum of Dubuque, IA; and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; two sons: Joseph and Glenn Wachter; and three sisters: Mary Jo Needham, Rita Boardman, and Kay Martin.

Honorary casketbearers are Nikki Bartell, Jill Birkenholtz, Keri Ghelf, Jody Mohwinkle, Tami Snitker, and Keara and Megan Wachter. Casketbearers are Gary and Chad Egan, Bruce, Jeremy, and Josh Snitker, and Brian and Kade Wachter.