James David Gideon

Jim was born at home in Decatur, Illinois, on November 5, 1941, to Glenn and Marie Gideon. On November 5, 1966, Jim married the love of his life, JoAnn Juergensen. Their nearly six decades together were a true love story. Jim knew within three weeks that he would propose. Two months later after the ring arrived, he did just that. They were married on Jim’s birthday, and JoAnn carried a single red rose, symbolizing their first date and the first gift Jim ever gave her. Not a day passed without Jim expressing his love or referring to JoAnn as his “beautiful wife,” a devotion that remained constant through his final days.

Jim was a loving father to Julie (Jerry Blauw) Gideon-Spero and Karen (Andrew) Yannakakis, and a devoted grandfather to Irene, John, and Joanna Yannakakis. He was also a cherished uncle and a loyal friend to many. Jim found great joy in spending time with family and friends, especially while playing dominoes, spades, working puzzles, fishing, bowling, billiards, and following the stock market.

He also developed a deep passion for genealogy, meticulously tracing his family history back to the 1500s, including their immigration to the United States from Cork, Ireland, in 1749.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Glenn and Marie Gideon, and his siblings John, Jack, Daniel, Mary Allis, Thomas, and Stephen.

He graduated from Taylorville High School in 1959 and shortly thereafter proudly joined the United States Navy, serving from October 1959 to 1965. During his service, he was stationed at the U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he worked as an electronics technician.

Following his honorable discharge, Jim began a distinguished 26-year engineering career with AT&T. A brilliant technical manager, he played a critical role during the transition of communication systems into the computer age. His expertise was vital as few possessed the knowledge to bridge legacy technology with emerging systems that are now taken for granted. Jim received multiple awards and recognitions for his significant contributions and professional success. After retiring early from AT&T, he continued his work in telecommunications with Sprint and Aerotek.

Jim will be remembered for his unwavering devotion to his family, his service to his country, his professional excellence, and the kindness, integrity, and lasting impact he brought to everyone who knew him.

A visitation will be held on February 6, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at Newcomer's Noland Road Chapel, located at 509 S Noland Rd, Independence, Missouri, 64050. The funeral service will follow at the same location, starting at 11:00 am. The committal service with full military honors is scheduled for 2:00 pm on the same day at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Higginsville, located at 20109 Bus, Higginsville, Missouri, 64037.