James Rumbaugh

James T. Rumbaugh was born to Wayne R. Rumbaugh and Margaret (Tyler) Rumbaugh on September 12, 1938, in Des Moines, Iowa. The family later located to Spirit Lake, Iowa, where he spent the remaining years of his life. After graduating high school in 1956, Jim moved to St. Louis Park, Minnesota for a short period of time. This is where he met and later married Adrienne Videen. The couple married May 24, 1958. In 1959, they relocated to Spirit Lake, where Jim operated a welding shop. To their union, two daughters were born: Lori (Pedersen) and Lisa Rumbaugh. In the early 60's, he helped build and maintain a race car that ran at the Jackson Speedway. In 1961, he started his career at Berkley and Co. where he was employed for forty years. He started in the machine shop and eventually worked his way up as an engineer in the research and development department. Jim holds many patents for the rods and reels that he designed while working for the company. In 1986, the couple moved to Taiwan where he was production manager for the plant. Many long lasting friends were made in their time abroad. Mr. Rumbaugh (which he was called overseas), was highly respected and admired. After Jim's retirement, they continued to travel yearly to Taiwan and China where Jim did some free lance work for his good friend Henry Lieu, who owned a rod and reel company in China. Over the course of the years, Jim, along with friends, built several speck houses in the 1970's. Jim loved to work with his hands whether it be woodworking or working in his shop on his milling machines. No job was too big or small. He had the talent to replicate most anything given to him as a sample. He especially liked making old car parts and his new passion, engines. Family or friends would stop over and request a project made and he would always say: "I don't know if I can do that," but you could see the wheels turning inside his head and sometimes in a matter of hours or days, a beautiful creation evolved. Jim also "prided" himself in teaching their African Parrot naughty things on occasion to the dismay of his wife. He had a passion for teasing. On December 10, 2010, Jim suffered a heart attack and was transferred to McKennan Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls, where he passed away from this life peacefully on January 1, 2011. Left to treasure his memory is his wife of fifty-two years, Adrienne, daughters, Lori Pedersen (Jay) of Spirit Lake and Lisa Rumbaugh of St. Paul, Minnesota; grandson, Tyler (Jenna); granddaughter, Emily; brother, Wayne (Mary); sister, Maryanne Martyr (Mark); nieces and nephews and his beloved bird coco. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.