A celebration of life memorial Mass will be held for the late Jim Seifert at 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 240 Park Ave. Friends are invited to watch the sunset and attend a barbecue at the Seifert home immediately after the service.
James Francis Seifert, a 30-year Boca Grande resident, died July 29 after living a lifetime of happiness and fulfillment.
Born in Oakes, N.D., he and his wife, Nancy, were proud graduates of the University of North Dakota. In 1953, after a two-year stint in the U.S. Air Force, Jim and Nancy left Idaho for Washington, Iowa, where they partnered with his brother, Bill, in building a chain of women's specialty stores called Seiferts.
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Jim Seifert
In 1958, they opened their fifth Seifert's store in downtown Cedar Rapids. Eventually the chain grew to 252 locations.
In retirement, Jim and Nancy spent winters in Boca Grande and summers in Park Rapids, Minn.
Seifert is survived by his wife of 60 years, Nancy; a daughter, Kathy and her husband, Mike, and their children, Matt, Tim, Patrick and Sarah; son, Jim and his wife, Jona, and their children, Jae, Paul and Anne; son, John and his fiancee, Lisa Keeter, and John's three children, Becca, Sierra and Nicole; and their mother, Sarah Seifert.
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A celebration of life memorial Mass will be held for the late Jim Seifert at 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 240 Park Ave. Friends are invited to watch the sunset and attend a barbecue at the Seifert home immediately after the service.
Jim will be remembered as a man who lived every day with great passion and joy. Whenever he said goodbye to friends or family, he would always end with a little wave and then, "Love you guys!" He was a loving husband, a wonderful father and an amazing grandfather.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the God's Child Project, P.O. Box 1573, Bismarck, N.D. 58502, an organization that helps children and families in Guatemala; St. Joseph's Hospice, 323 S. Main Ave., Park Rapids, MN 56470; or a charity of choice.
A memorial Mass was held in Cedar Rapids in October.
