James Eugene Fattig, age 88 of North Platte, formerly of Wallace, passed away Friday May 12, 2017 at his home. He had been in hospice care for 3 days.
Jim was born July 14, 1928 and was adopted when he was 6 weeks old by Glenn and Helen (Klump) Fattig of Ringgold, NE, in McPherson County. He grew up in a loving home and grew to love the farm life. He started helping with the field work at an early age. He attended Cottonwood Grove Rural School through 8th grade and went to high school in Stapleton for 2 years. Jim was married to Inez Lutes on May 20, 1951 at the home of her parents on the Lutes Ranch in the Sandhills in Logan County. He farmed with his dad until 1958. Three children were born at that location, Martin Louis, Janice Ionne, and Lynell Kay. The family moved to Elsie, NE in 1958 where Jim was employed by a local farmer, Webb Flaming. He later worked for the Elsie Equity as a feed mill operator. Their 4th child, Glenda Jo was born while the family lived in Elsie. They moved to a farm south of Wallace in 1965 where Jim worked for Marion and Jerome Clemens until 1968 when he and Inez purchased a service station in Wallace. He did mechanic work, had a fuel delivery service and sold fertilizer until 1987. They then were managers of a Motel 6 in Laramie, WY for 6 years. They moved back to Wallace where he worked for local farmers, working the fields and driving a truck. He worked as a truck driver for Opplinger Farms for 4 years. After his retirement, he continued to help local farmers with field work and truck driving, especially at corn harvest time, and helping work fields in preparation for spring planting, until he was almost 87 years old. He also served on the Elsie and Wallace Volunteer Fire Departments. He loved to go to the local café to drink coffee with his friends and raising his garden; he was very sad when he could no longer garden after his 87th birthday. Jim attended Cottonwood Grove Sunday School and Church with his parents and later the family attended Hall Church in rural McPherson County. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Elsie, and later in Wallace, where he was still a member at the time of his death. Jim’s health started to fail in 2015, so he and Inez moved to South Oak Manor in North Platte on March 4, 2017 with the help of family and many friends. He always liked a good story and we heard many of them over and over! He loved to pester the ladies by putting trash in their purses, etc! He enjoyed going to the senior center for meals and spending time with friends.
Jim will be greatly missed by Inez, his wife of nearly 66 years; his children Marty (Leslie) Fattig, Jan (Jim) Singleton, Lynell (Mark) Franklin, and Glenda (Martin) Vega; 8 grandchildren, Tony (Michelle) Singleton, Jason (Tonia) Franklin, Jeremy Franklin, Tara (Kris) Drain, Michelle (Ryan) Phifer, Tiffany (Travis) Phillips, Ryan Fattig, Lynsie (Rick Neely) Nichols; 5 step grandchildren, Ben (Nikki) Vega, Bob (Allison) Vega, Amanda (James) Wassinger, John (Victoria) Parrish, Andy (Charlotte Grooms) Parrish; 24 great grandchildren; sister, Doris Tiffany; brothers-in-law Loren (Janis Stout) Lutes and Lloyd Connell; sisters-in-law Joyce Lutes, Alice Lutes, Phoebe (Frank) Martin, Olive (Stan) Gurney, and Esther (Tom) Harmon; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Glenn and Helen Fattig; mother-and-father-in-law Louis and Ernestine Lutes; brother-in-law Wayne Tiffany; brothers-and-sisters-in-law Flora Connell, Vernon (Pauline) Lutes, Ernie (June) Lutes, Susan (Alfred) Shimmin, Nathan Lutes, Stephen Lutes, Martin Lutes, Keith Lutes; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Memorials are suggested to the Wallace Methodist Church or the Wallace Fire Department and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday May 15, 2017 at Wallace Methodist Church with Reverends Ann and Harun Gatobu and Tammy Aubushon officiating. Burial will follow at the Morningview Cemetery. Visitation will be from noon until 6:00 p.m. Sunday May 14, 2017 with the family receiving friends from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.