James O. Seidel, 80, Marshfield, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 1, 2016 at Ministry St. Joseph’s Palliative Care, Marshfield.

A memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, at St. John’s Catholic Church, Marshfield. Rev. Samuel Martin will officiate and special music will be provided by a great niece, Sara Vick. Jim’s daughter-in-law, Kim Seidel will be a reader for the service as well as Eucharistic minister. Burial of Jim’s cremains will take place in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Marshfield, at a later date. The family will receive relatives and friends from 9:30 a.m. Tuesday until service time at St. John’s Catholic Church. Military rites will be conducted at St. John’s Church by the American Legion Post 54, following the service. Rembs Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Jim was born Oct. 11, 1935, in Abbotsford to Oscar and Wilma (Duellman) Seidel. After grade school, Jim spent a year and a half at Holy Cross Seminary in La Crosse, WI. He then returned to Abbotsford, graduating from high school in 1953.

After his marriage at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Marshfield to the love of his life, Sharon A. Specht on October 11, 1961, Jim moved to Marshfield. They then lived in Tacoma, WA for a year during the Berlin Crisis before returning to Marshfield to take up permanent residence.

In addition to being a Staff Sergeant E6 in the National Guard, Jim was employed as a cheese maker, a machine operator, a bartender and lastly, a professional bill collector. He was in the collection business for 35 years, serving as partner and president of Bonded Collections of Marshfield, Inc., Rapids Adjustment Company and Point Credit Service and was also part owner of Wausau Credit Services before selling the business and retiring in 1995.

While in business, Jim was awarded the Wisconsin Collectors Association Distinguished Service Award in 1980 and was greatly honored to be inducted into the American Collectors Association International Fellowship of Certified Collectors in 1981. Nationwide, Jim was one of only a very few people to have received this prestigious award. As a collector he also served in many capacities, as president of the Wisconsin Collectors Association in 1977, on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Collectors Association for 18 years and as representative of the Wisconsin Collectors Association on the National Board of Directors for 10 years. In addition, he was on the Board of the State Banking Department of Wisconsin for the Wisconsin Collectors Association for 16 years.

Jim also volunteered his cooking talents at the Elks Club and the American Legion and was the auctioneer for the Boy Scouts father-son cake auction for several years. His many hobbies included bowling, fishing, hunting, skiing, horseshoes, golfing and traveling. He was a former Elks Club member for 42 years, a former Eagles and Knight of Columbus member and also a member of the American Legion, the American Collectors Association and the Wisconsin Collectors Association.

He is survived by his loving wife, Sharon, a son, Kevin (Kim) Seidel of Onalaska and a daughter, Kelly of Marshfield and 2 granddaughters, Rachel and Delaney Seidel of Onalaska. Jim is also survived by 2 sisters, Shirley (Ed) Scheeler and Marion (Jim) Blahnik, a brother, Gerald (Sally) Seidel, sisters-in-law, Dorothy Sherman, Joan Frankwick and Nancy (David) Prechel and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, Jim was predeceased by a sister, Ella (Ed) Brill, a brother, Kenneth Seidel, a sister-in-law, Kathy (Specht) Bradle, his in-laws, Raymond and Marie Specht, and a brother-in-law, Bill Sherman.

The family will designate a memorial in Jim’s name at a later date.

Condolences may be sent online to www.rembsfh.com.