JAMES E. OHNEMUS

James Edward Ohnemus, 75, of Raymore, Mo., died Jan. 28, 2015, at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo. He suffered complications following an elective surgery on Nov. 6, 2014.

Ohnemus, a retired millwright for Honeywell who worked 45 years in the construction industry, was born in Melrose, Iowa, on Jan. 2, 1940. The tenth of 11 children, he grew up on a farm near town and at age 6 moved to Des Moines, where he graduated from Dowling High School in 1959.

That same year he entered a multiyear sheet metal apprenticeship program there and began work at the Waldinger Corp., first as a sheet metal worker and later as a draftsman. He completed 25 years' service with Waldinger before the company entered into financial difficulties in 1983. As a journeyman sheet metal worker, he additionally served for two years in the Iowa Army National Guard reserves.

Staying in the sheet metal trade, Ohnemus began commuting to Kansas City, Mo., and five years later moved to Raymore. He jumped at an opportunity to work for the Kansas City Honeywell plant in 1992 and worked 13 more years there, retiring in 2005. During his career he worked on construction projects that spanned the globe. Big jobs included HVAC systems for the Superdome in New Orleans, La., hospitals in Saudi Arabia and military bases in the U.S.

In his free time, he dedicated himself to many remodeling and building projects for family and friends. A carpenter, master plumber and builder, he took on projects no one else would touch—he poured concrete, installed windows, cut doors into basement walls, and showed his artistic side by designing creative metalwork projects for churches and schools. He once fixed a sagging foundation on his house in Des Moines by jacking up a corner of the basement and adding a missing footer. In 1974, he bought a woodlot in southern Iowa, where he built a cabin near state forest land.

A lifelong outdoorsman, who caught the fever to hunt and fish at an early age from his brothers on the farm, Ohnemus had a passion for all number of outdoor pursuits: archery, bicycling, backpacking, canoeing, cross-country skiing, fly fishing and turkey and deer hunting. The year he retired from Honeywell, he took five fishing trips, including a five-week stay in Alaska.

Ohnemus was an avid member of the Heart of America Fly Fishers club and the Water Garden Society of Greater Kansas City and he did prison ministry.

In 1995, he married Patricia Ann (Steele) Ohnemus, his wife of 19 years who survives him. Also, surviving him are his four children: Edward of Arlington, Va., Therese Crowther of Warrenton, Va., Lori Chatterley of Raton, N.M., and Thomas, of Harrisonville, Mo. He leaves three brothers, Paul of Lacona, Iowa, Leo of Glendale, Ariz. and Carl of West Des Moines, Iowa, and three sisters, Madonna Sisson of Arvada, Colo., Teresa Schaefer of Clive, Iowa, and Margaret Murphy of Altoona, Iowa. One step-son, Russell Davidson, preceded him in death, but he also leaves three step-children from his second marriage: Ronald Davidson of Pensacola, Fla. Dennis Davidson of Russell, Kan., and Laura Davidson of St. Peter, Mo., in addition to five grandchildren and eight step-grandchildren and seven step-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be 6 to 8 PM, Monday, Feb. 2, 2015 St. Sabina Catholic Church, 700 Trevis Avenue, Belton, MO 64012 (816) 331-4713. Funeral Mass will be 11:00 AM, Tuesday, Feb. 3, at the church with Rosary at 10:30 AM. Luncheon to follow at the church. Graveside will be Noon, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015, Bauer Cemetery, 2207 20th Place, Lacona, IA. The cemetery and church are at the intersection of G76 and 20th Place, 2 miles east of Lacona, Iowa. Repast to follow: Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 204 SW D St, Melcher-Dallas, IA 50163 (641) 947-4981.

Memorial contributions may be made to any charity of choice in his name.

Arrangement: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, MO (816)322-5278