James Rector

James Rector was born in February, 1924 in the house that his father built in rural Delaware County, Iowa. He grew up in the depression years, worked hard and did not venture far from his home farm. A great adventure as a youth was to travel with friends down to Iowa City to see Nile Kinnick play. His greatest adventure would come just a few years later. He turned eighteen in 1942 and, even though he only had a high school diploma, the Army Air Corps thought he just might have the "right stuff" and he was accepted into flight training. At the age of twenty he found himself as an officer and pilot with Troop Carrier Command stationed in New Guinea where he flew missions in support of the liberation of the Philippines. He eventually flew over a long arc of the Pacific from Australia to Japan. Flying over hundreds of miles of open ocean and countless jungle islands in all weather conditions, he was always amused later in life that he didn't get a navigator on his crew until after the war was over.

He mustered out in 1946, got married, and enrolled at Iowa State on the GI Bill. He worked for the University in the animal barns for household money and even taught a few classes as a TA and graduated in 3 years with a degree in agriculture. Right out of school he worked for Rath Packing for a short time and then took to farming. Jim bought his own farm in 1954 near the town of Arlington, Iowa where a young family started to grow. Four children, born between 1950 and 1960, called him Dad. He convinced the local CO-OP to sponsor a program to provide pure bred Landrace sows to young kids starting out in 4-H. He and his wife, Lois, worked hard to improve their little farm and, ever the handy man, he brought running water into the old farmhouse.

In the early 60's Jim took a job with the USDA as a county supervisor with the Farmers Home Administration. He trained and was an assistant in the office in Humboldt, Iowa for a couple of years and around 1965 he took over his own office in Iowa Falls where he remained for many years. You may still find old timers around the area that will testify that "Jim Rector helped us save our farm" or "he helped me buy my first house." After his children were grown and graduated, he transferred and took over the office in Parkersburg, remarried to Von, helped raise a second family, and lived and eventually retired to a house in Morgan's woods north of Cedar Falls. He was a member of a small country church called Washington Chapel where he was the treasurer and he and his good friend, Paul, administered the small cemetery across the road. They always had a good time trying to figure out where to dig the holes. Now they will dig a hole there for Jim.

He tried his hand at baking pies like his mother used to make. And they did not turn out bad. He made his own sauerkraut and raised and shaved his own horseradish. He could identify every tree on his property and planted new species to boot. He knew where the morels grew. In his small woodworking shop the wood did not come from the lumber yard. It was from his own trees. And when he wanted to take a break from his toil he would hook up his boat and go fishing up on the Minnesota lakes. All of his children went with him at one time or another. Ah, life is good, isn't it?

James Donald was the son of John U. Rector and Josephine (Ross) Rector.  He attended and graduated from Oneida Schools in Delaware County Iowa. He married Lois Gearhart from whom he was later divorced. Four children were born to this union.  Many years later, he was married to Yvonne De Martino, adding another layer of family.
He will be missed by children Jay Rector of Denver, Colorado, Scott  (Candy) Rector of Webster City, Iowa, Nita (Dan) Davie of Grundy Center, Iowa, and Amy (Sid) Youngers of Augora Hills, California. Also, children Vikki (Dana) Cooke, Jeff De Martino, Gina De Martin, Angie (Doug) Seehauf, all of Cedar Falls, Iowa.  Also missing him are 17 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. He will also be missed by the many friends he made, either long ago or newly minted.
He is now reunited with his parents, John and Josie, wife Yvonne, three sisters, Laura Voelschow, Carol Rector, and Margery Bueher and their spouses, aunts, uncles, cousins, and many dear friends.
A small family service will be held with interment at Washington Chapel Cemetery in rural Cedar Falls.  Memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer's Association or to Washington Chapel.  Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.