James Fredrick Mahler

Graveside services will be held at 12:00 pm on Monday, June 5, at Davenport Memorial Park. Please meet at Runge Mortuary by 11:15 am to follow in procession to the cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Legion Post #26. Condolences at www.rungemortuary.com.

Jim was born on July 10, 1941 at Alpha, Iowa, in Fayette County, surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The son of John George Mahler and Ruvie (Richardson) Mahler, as a baby Jim joined his first war effort and went with the family to San Francisco. During the war, the family returned to Iowa and settled in Waterloo where Jim grew up.

Living on the Cedar River and in the surrounding woods, Jim had an idyllic childhood of beloved dogs and time on the river. From paper routes to sacking groceries at Clute’s Grocery Store, Jim started out as a hard worker and remained so all his life. Good with a wrench, Jim first had a rebuilt bicycle and then a car, both purchased from his own savings. Jim graduated from West Waterloo High in 1959. Jim headed to the Quad Cities to join his older brother, John, in concrete construction at Mahler Concrete. He bought his sister-in-law, Connie’s 1957 Blue TR 3. Jim and John raced cars when not pouring concrete. Jim sold the Triumph to a beautiful blue-eyed brunette he met in a gas station on State Street, Bethany Irene Hutchison. In April, 1964, Jim got the Triumph back when he married Beth in Georgia. Beth joined Jim’s second war effort. This time with the Army at Fort Benning where Jim was training for Military Police work. The next stop was Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where their oldest son, Kenny, was born. Then on to Clarksville, Tennessee. Jim had a late growth spurt. The boy that was too small for football in high school had become a big guy that the army saw as an MP. Discharged in September of 1965, Jim, Beth, and Kenny headed off to Iowa State where Jim studied construction. Returning to concrete work, Jim was again in the Quad Cities to join his two brothers, John and Mike. A daughter, Kristin, and a son, Jason, were added to the family. Jim enjoyed his family and loved them dearly.

Jim remained in concrete construction for 50 years. Jim was a kind and loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and friend. If you needed a helping hand, he was there. The family church in Stapleton, Iowa, has a foundation that is just one example of how quickly and how far Jim would go to help when called. It was hard to get Jim to take off work early…even for his boating on the Mississippi or vacations, but he would take off early and don a suit to take his niece, Anne, to father-daughter dances. Jim had a big heart. Jim and his family supported the Izaak Walton League and Jim was a member of American Legion Post 26 in Davenport.

Jim is survived by his daughter, Kristin Mahler Diericx (Michael), daughter-in-law, Tracy Holmes Mahler Baughman (Skip), grandsons, Kalin James Mahler and Bryce Holmes, granddaughters, Brittni Holmes and Courtney Holmes, brothers, John W. Mahler, Michael Mahler (Kristyn), and Mark Mahler (Katie), and sister, Pamela Mahler Rathe. Jim is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Bethany, his sons, Kenny and Jason, his parents, and his in-laws, Marion and Ken Hutchison.