James Lange

Former Elvins mayor, businessman, and civic leader James Paul Jim Lange passed away Thursday August 25, 2011, at his home in Farmington, Missouri after a lengthy battle with cancer and a heart condition. Jim was one of the original organizers and a past president of the Elvins Community Betterment Association, one of the organizers and active member of the Elvins Citizen's Police Patrol, past president of the Flat River Lion's Club, and past member of both the Flat River Chamber of Commerce and Farmington Chamber of Commerce. Jim once owned and operated Flat River Hardware, Scotch Paint, and Wehner-Lange Printing. His achievements in journalism included Promotion Assistant for the Bethany Press in St. Louis, a reporter for the Jefferson County Record and The Rocket, sales representative, feature writer and columnist for The Lead Belt News, and managing editor for the B.T. Cruisin' News magazine. Other vocations included sales representative for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and courier for the Parkland Health Center. For his involvement in business and civic endeavors, he received a number of awards and recognitions, including a Missouri Community Betterment Leadership Award, listed in Outstanding Young Men In America , and recognized as one of the state's top feature story writers by the Missouri Press Association. Jim, as he preferred to be called, was a 1960 graduate of Desloge High School and attended Flat River Junior College and Mineral Area College. For the past several years, he and his wife, Ruth Ann, have made their home in Farmington. Suffering good-naturedly all his life for his birth date, Jim was born April 1, 1942, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Oscar Lange, Jr. and Gladys Marie (Mason) Lange. His parents divorced when he was four years old, and he was raised by his father and step-mother, Mary Elizabeth (Decker) Russell Lange. Jim once said that he was fortunate to have two mothers who really loved him. Married on Memorial Day in 1964 to Ruth Ann Parks, Jim often teased that I was married on Memorial Day and it's been a Memorial Day ever since! The couple had been married 47 years at the time of his death. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Gladys Wehner, Oscar Lange Jr. and Mary E. Lange; brother Robert Lange and brother-in-law Richard Wakefield. In addition to his wife Ruth, Jim is survived by a son, James Paul Lange II (Dawn); a daughter, Katherine Kiepe (Bryan); seven grandchildren, Andrew Kiepe, Von Lange (Kamela), Valerie Warren (A.J.), Shawn Raglin (Britany), Byron Barber, Destiny Call, Cassaundra Lange; three great-grandchildren, Alex Lange, Dolly Ann Warren, Derrick Raglin; five brothers, James W. Lange (Brenda) of West Columbia, TX, Leroy Lange (Barbara) of St. Louis, Larry Wehner (Dixie) of Valle Lake, Don Lange of Sullivan, and Patrick Lange (Peggy) of Mascoutah, IL; a sister-in-law, Dee Lange of Albertville, AL; mother-in-law, Helen Wakefield of Park Hills; brother-in-law, Cledith Wakefield (Kristi) of Leadington; sister-in-law, Charlotte Wakefield of Park Hills; a number of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. The family will receive friends at Cozean Memorial Chapel from 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 27, 2011. Visitation will resume on Sunday at 12 p.m. Noon with a funeral service at 2 p.m. with Chaplain Jacob Pollard officiating. Interment will follow at St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Hwy 32, Farmington. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Paul Lutheran School of Farmignton, MO, the American Cancer Society or to the family. Share your memories and condolences at cozean.biz.