- Date Of Birth: March 10, 1923
- Date Of Death: April 23, 2022
- State: Michigan
Jim Tubergen age, 99, was welcomed into heaven by his faithful Savior and Lord on April 23, 2022.
Jim was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on March 10, 1923, to Theodore and Hazel (Brockway) Tubergen. After graduation from Ottawa Hills High School Jim enlisted in to the USMC and served in the South Pacific during WWII from 1942-1946. He was a Technical Sergeant in aviation repair, working on all types of aircraft especially the Corsair.
In 1947, Jim met Wilma Gritter whom his mother introduced as the “nice girl at the bank”. They were later married that year and were married for 50 years until her passing on 4/28/97.
He was a business machine repairman at Friden Business Machines and later worked at MPI in Mattawan.
After retirement, Jim joined the Kalamazoo Air Zoo where he served as a docent for 23 years, where he shared his extensive knowledge of the aircrafts. He was honored with an engraved bench, placed near the Corsair.
Later Jim married Eleanor Minor in 2000 and were married for 16 years. She preceded him in death on 1/19/16.
Jim loved woodworking and made many items for family, friends and Toys for Tots. He was especially proud of the train sets he made for his grandsons.
Jim is survived by his two daughters and their families: Jane (John) Buttery with grandsons Jeff (Anne), (Maxwell, Lincoln, and Harrison) and Mark (Nicole) (Ava, Brooke, Charlotte and Kate), and June (Bill) VanderWall, grandson Jim (Lisa), (Hope and Luke). He is also survived by nieces, nephews and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Ted and Jerry and sister Marilyn Brown.