1945-2024
James Jess Steburg (Jim), 79, son of Jess and Dorothy (Martin) Steburg, was born July 30, 1945, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
After WWII and Jess’s honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, the Steburg family returned to their hometown of Fort Dodge. Jim attended school in Fort Dodge, graduating from Fort Dodge High School in 1963, and subsequently Iowa Central Community College.
Jim grew up with a love of the outdoors. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, trapping, canoeing and even sneaking into quarry ponds near Fort Dodge to swim with his friends and his identical twin brother, Larry. Jim came to faith in Christ as a young man, and he was baptized at Dolliver Park.
Following college, Jim began his career in agronomy in Grand Junction in 1965. He met the love his life, Wanda Shearer, at Tiger Bowl in Madrid. Jim and Wanda were united in marriage on July 1, 1967, and two sons were born, Chris and Mark. Jim and his young family moved to Yale in 1973 where Jim continued his agronomy career at Yale Farmers Coop, which later merged to become Mid Iowa Cooperative and then again to become Farmers Cooperative (FC). While managing the agronomy department, Jim served many farmers throughout Iowa. Beginning in the early 1980s, Jim also established a tree farm and nursery business with his brother and their sons. Jim served the community as a Yale City Council member, Yale Volunteer Fire Department Chief, and as president of the Y.J.B. School Board. Following his retirement from FC in 2007, Jim continued to grow his nursery business in Panora.
He was an active member of Lighthouse Assembly of God in Panora until he went to be with the Lord on Oct. 23, 2024, at Mary Greeley Medical Center, Ames.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents; his twin brother, Larry; and his daughter-in-law, Mia. He is survived by his wife, Wanda of Yale; sons, Chris of Yale and Mark (Krista) of Grimes; grandsons, Andy, Ethan and Silas; granddaughter, Juniper; and many other family and friends.
Visitation will be Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, from 9-11 a.m. at the Lighthouse Assembly of God Church, Panora. Graveside services will then be held at 1 p.m. at the Richland Township Cemetery, near Yale.
Memorials can be made to Lighthouse Assembly of God in Panora.
Twigg Funeral Home, Panora, is entrusted with his services.