James Vondrum
June 23, 1942 - April 04, 2017
Obituary
James J. “Jim” Vondrum, 74, of Arthur, formerly of Lancaster, died on Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at his home. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at the Melby Funeral Home & Crematory, Platteville. Rev. Mike Short will officiate. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery, where military rites will be accorded by VFW Post #5274 and American Legion Post #42. Friends may call from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Monday, April 10, 2017 at the Melby Funeral Home & Crematory, Platteville, or from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service on Tuesday. Memorials may be made to the James Vondrum Memorial Fund. Online condolences may be made at www.melbyfh.com.
Jim was born on June 23, 1942 in Grant County, the son of William and Marie (Bausch) Vondrum. He was united in marriage to Sandra Klein in May of 1973 at the Lutheran Church of Peace, Platteville. She preceded him in death on April 5, 2008. Jim later married Mary Lu (Blackbourn) Caley on June 12, 2010. Jim served in the United States Air Force from 1961 – 1964 during the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. When he got out of the service he worked as an electrician, for a short time with Murray Electrical and then starting his own business Vondrum Electrical. He later with his sons formed J J Vondrum and Sons, Lancaster, which today is operated by his family. Jim was very proud of all of the business' he had a hand in working on throughout southwest Wisconsin. He was a member of the American Legion. As a young man he enjoyed bowling, he later got his pilot's license and bought and owned a Piper Colt airplane from 1965 – 1970.
Jim is survived by his wife, Mary Lu Vondrum of Arthur; four children, Tim (Ann) Vondrum of Fennimore, WI; Kimberly Finney of Richland Center, WI; Eric (Annie) Vondrum and Joe (Shannon) Vondrum all of Lancaster; Mary's children, Allan (Christine) Caley of Potosi, WI; Brian (Rose) Caley and Nancy Timmerman all of Platteville; Susan (Steve) Opsel of LaSalle, IL; Craig (Nancy) Caley of Waseca, MN; Betsy (Bob) Huehne of Arthur; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sandra and parents, and aunt, Pat McCartney.