May 7, 1922 - March 19, 2006
WILLMAR -- James Howard Mikes, 83, of Willmar, formerly of Blomkest, died Sunday at Bethesda Heritage in Willmar.
The service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home Chapel in Willmar. Burial will be at Fort Ridgley Cemetery in Fairfax.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home and for one hour prior to the service on Friday.
He was born May 7, 1922, in New Ulm to Joseph and Florence (Anderegg) Mikes. He grew up in Fairfax and graduated from Fairfax High School in 1940. He attended the University of Minnesota Agriculture School and graduated in 1941. He entered the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Service as a Merchant Marine in 1942, and served during World War II. He worked at the Merchant Marine Cooking School in 1946 and was chief cook and steward. He returned to the Fairfax area and farmed.
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He married Evelyn Wood on Sept. 4, 1949, in Morgan. They farmed in the Blomkest area. He worked as a human service technician at Willmar State Hospital for seven years and then was promoted to baker. He retired in 1985. He moved to Willmar in 2000.
He was a member of Svea Lutheran Church where he served on the church council for six years and as a Sunday school teacher for two years. He was a member of Willmar Masons, AFSCME, Kandiyohi County Republican Committee, Willmar Senior Writers Club, V.F.W. Post 1639, American Legion Post 167, and served as president of the PTA in Blomkest and as chief steward of Local 701. He was also issued a Life Degree from Boy Scouts of America.
He is survived by his children: Jane (and Paul) Settergren of Blaine, Sara (and Craig) Eckert of St. Peter, Kristie (and Tom) Ashcraft of Maple Grove, Susan (and Gerald) Peterson of Spicer, Terry (and Emilie) Mikes of Willmar, Robin (and Ronnie) Isaacson of Blomkest, Jodi (and Kevin) Fritz of Willmar; 18 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and one sister: Ruth McCracken of Bell Aire, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
