James F. Theis

James F. Theis, 94, Topeka, Kansas, one of the greatest of the great generation, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on November 22, 2018. Jim was born in Lawrence, Nebraska, on May 26, 1924, the eldest in the family of 10 children of Frank Patrick and Hedwig “Hattie” Marie Gilsdorf Theis. The Theis family moved from Lawrence, Nebraska, to Hastings, Nebraska, early in Jim’s life and Jim attended Kindergarten at St. Cecilia’s Catholic Parochial School in Hastings prior to the family moving to Heartwell, Nebraska. After the family moved to a farmhouse southwest of Heartwell, Jim attended the rural county grade school at District #4 through eighth grade, thereafter attending and graduating from Heartwell High school, Class of 1942. Jim grew up on the farm about a mile and a half south of his parent’s home, living with his grandmother, Mary Noel Theis, and her son, William, after the death of his father when he was 14. Early in his long life, he relished riding to school on his beloved pony, Cupi, in all kinds of weather, trapping for pelts from rabbits, mink, fox, and the occasional skunk and selling them by mail to the Sears, Roebuck, Co. Savoring these memories and sharing them and others with his children was a joy to all. A proud veteran of WWII, Jim entered the United States Army on September 25, l944, and was inducted at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He received basic training at Camp Fort Robinson, near Little Rock, Arkansas, after which he shipped to Luzon, Philippine Islands. There, in the Sixth Infantry Division, 63rd Infantry Regiment, he served as a first scout in heavy combat against the Japanese. On Luzon, the Sixth Division set the unchallenged record for 219 days of continuous combat in the Pacific Theater and Jim as a first scout served 112 days of that front-line combat. After Japan’s surrender, Jim transferred with the Sixth Division to the Army of Occupation in Seoul, Korea, where he became editor of the regimental newspaper. Shortly thereafter, Jim returned home to Heartwell. He received a Red Cross emergency furlough just before Christmas, 1945, in time to get home and visit his dying grandmother, Mary, who was so instrumental in raising him. He subsequently received an honorable discharge on February 7, 1946. At a Bohemian wedding dance in Lawrence, Nebraska, he met the love of his life and mother of their five children, Nelma Ione Stuehrenberg, and they married at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Hastings on May 27, 1948. They have enjoyed 70 years of commitment in this union. Jim used the GI Bill to attend Hastings College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in English - Class of 1950. He then became a teacher and coached basketball and 6-man football at Kenesaw High School, Kenesaw, Nebraska, in 1950 and 1951. In 1952, when still living in Kennesaw, he entered the life insurance business full time (after working during summers when teaching) as an agent for the Union National Life Insurance Company, a Lincoln, Nebraska domestic company, later acquired and merged into the American General Life Insurance Company of Houston, Texas. Jim enjoyed the life insurance business and became very successful as an enthusiastic apostle of the life insurance industry, admiring its contribution to the security of the family, and its contribution to the American way of life. He attended the Life Insurance Marketing Institute at Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana, graduating in 1954. The next year, he took a leave of absence from the Union National Life Insurance Company and moved to Lafayette, Indiana, with his family to become an instructor at that same Insurance Marketing Institute at Purdue. In 1956, Jim and his family moved from Lafayette to Lincoln, Nebraska where he became the Director of Training at the home office of the Union National Life Insurance Company. During that year, he was also awarded the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation from American College of Life Underwriters. In 1957, he resigned as Training Director of the Union National to become State Director for the State of Kansas for Union National Life, and moved from Lincoln to Topeka, Kansas, just prior to the Company’s acquisition by the American General Life Insurance Company. In 1965, he was appointed as Regional Director for American General Life and was later promoted to Regional Vice President. In 1972, he was promoted to Agency Vice President of the Western Division of American General Life and moved with Nelma and the youngest of his family still at home to their headquarters in Denver, Colorado. In 1975, Jim and Nelma moved to Houston Texas, the home office of American General Life Insurance Company to become the Agency Vice President. In 1976, he was promoted to Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing and was elected to the Board of Directors. In 1980, Jim took early retirement from American General and moved with Nelma to Hastings, Nebraska. There he specialized in estate and business planning and selling life insurance and securities as an independent unaffiliated agent. During his years as a marketing executive for American General and later while living in Hastings, Jim and Nelma did extensive traveling all over this country and the world, much of it with good friends Gene and Emory Hatcher. In 1996, Jim completely retired from the life insurance profession and he and Nelma moved from Hastings back to Topeka to be nearer family. Jim was a member of Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish from 1957 to 1972 and since returning to Topeka, has been a member of Christ the King Catholic Parish. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Shriner's International. James is survived by his wife, Nelma Theis; all of his 5 children, James F. Theis, Jr. (Diana), Paola, Kansas, Thomas L. Theis (Joan), Topeka, Kansas, Kathryn Ann McPherson, Olathe, Kansas, Jill Marie Firth (James), Suffolk, Virginia, and Mary Jane Santeiro (Ernest), Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida; 11 Grandchildren; five Great Grandchildren, all of whom Jim and Nelma are very proud; and sisters, Alice Pumilia (Luke), Kay Everett of Omaha, Nebraska and DeeDee Gibbs (John) of California. He was preceded in death by his mother, Hattie Theis; three brothers, Don, Bob and Fran; and three sisters, Anna Marie, Mary and Jean. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 12, 2018, at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Road, Topeka KS 66614, with rosary being prayed at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday, December 13, 2018, at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church, 3601 SW 17th Street, Topeka KS 66604, with burial to follow in Mount Calvary Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be sent to Most Pure Heart of Mary Church, sent in care of the funeral home.

James F. Theis

May 26, 1924 - November 22, 2018