James J. King, age 66, of Oshkosh, died peacefully February 3, 2006 at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh. He was born January 1, 1940, the son of R. Sidney and Elizabeth (Galica) King. Jim was educated in the Omro Schools and was a graduate of Omro High School. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran serving from 1959-1960. While in the service he studied Meteorology. Jim married Gladys Larson on April 14, 1980 in Oshkosh, and was a retiree of Mercury Marine.

Jim had many interests in his lifetime. Family and friends will fondly remember how he loved the outdoors; collecting rocks, minerals and arrow heads. He enjoyed gardening and was on the board of directors of the Master Gardeners. Jim also could be found enjoying the outdoors, bird watching, trapping and fly fishing of which he was extremely fond of. Other of his many talents included culinary arts, painting pictures, being a gunsmith, and leather carving. Being an avid woodworker, Jim would often share his talents with others by selling his crafts.

Jim is lovingly survived by his wife, Gladys; sons, Keith C. (Pennie) King of Rogers, Arkansas, Gregory J. (Sandy) King of Omro; daughters, Ardyce M. (Hank) Mayo of Eagle River, WI., Aura L. King of Oshkosh and Elizabeth A. (Alan) Ingalls of Oshkosh; grandchildren, Jacob, Benjamin, Kayla and Rachel Mayo of Eagle River, WI., Bo'Anthony and Robert Harper of Oshkosh, Angeline and Breelyn Ingalls of Oshkosh; brothers, Kevin (Denise) King of Valley Lee, MD., Rev. Randall (Lori) King of Omro, Ralph (Trish) King of Omro; sisters, Sandra Woodland of Madison, WI., Mary Jo (Morris) Bierig of Portland, OR., Melody (Jerry) Gehrt of Kaukauna and Peggy (Al) Whitten of Grayslake, Il.. Jim is also survived by the mother of his three oldest children, Joan Stiller Kolodzik of Omro; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his mother Elizabeth King.

In respect to Jim's memory, a visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 at the Omro Funeral Home from 4:00-8:00 P.M. and then again on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at Wyldewood Baptist Church, 3030 Witzel Ave., Oshkosh, from 10:00 A.M. until the time of the service at 11:00 A.M. with his brother, Rev. Randall King officiating. Burial will follow in the North Rushford Cemetery. A memorial in his name has been established.

"Our father was a man whose love and passion for learning new things gave him a wide range of interests and a vast knowledge. From this he came to be a master of many crafts, never being satisfied with just knowing how, but having to master each new challenge.

The one thing that he mastered better than anyone we know, was his ability to truly appreciate, and his clear realization, that it's the little things in life that make life special. That was Dad. That's who he was. That's what makes him so special to us."