James Ufkin

James Ufkin, 81, of Geneseo, passed away peacefully after a long battle with renal failure on August 14, 2023, at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf, Iowa. Visitation service is scheduled for Friday evening between the hours of 5-7pm at Vandemore Funeral Home - Geneseo Chapel. A Masonic Service provided by the Geneseo Stewart Lodge #92 A.F. & A.M., will begin promptly at 7pm, following the visitation.  Funeral Services will take place at Grace United Methodist Church of Geneseo, on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 10am. The funeral service will be livestreamed on Vandemore Funeral Home's Facebook page. Burial will follow at Hooppole Cemetery, Hooppole, IL.   The family requests that any memorial gifts be directed to the Henry County Farm Bureau Foundation at https://henrycofarmbureau.org.

James (Jim) was born on December 12, 1941, in Sterling, Illinois.  The son of Lawrence and Beulah (Goss) Ufkin, he married Patricia Long from Hooppole, Illinois on October 19, 1963.  Jim graduated from Rock Falls High School in 1960. During his senior year he was a competitive wrestler on the Rock Falls Rockets wrestling team where he was deemed Conference Champion, District Champion, Sectional Champion and State Qualifier. He played as an All-Conference Football Center on the Rockfalls Rockets football team, where he was commonly known as the “Tower of Power”. He then continued on to study at Northern Illinois University, finishing his college years at Canton Community College in 1962, with a major in Tool and Dye making.

Jim used his many skills to become a life-long farmer, retiring to Geneseo after 46 years of farming corn, soybeans and raising hogs. His daughter frequently referred to him as “The Pig Whisperer”. He very much enjoyed the freedom that his farming career offered him. He was an active member on the board of the Henry County Farm Bureau for 40 years.  He served as the Yorktown Township Road Commissioner and was a member of the Henry County Zoning Board, while also belonging to Geneseo Kiwanis, Geneseo Masonic Lodge, Moline Scottish Rite, Mohammed Shrine of Peoria, Rebuilding Together and the Geneseo Chapter of Izaak Walton League of America.

He enjoyed fishing with his son Mike, and daughter, Kim and many of his friends that he had daily coffee with at the Geneseo McDonald’s for many years.  He loved spending time in Florida and traveling with his wife, Pat, throughout his lifetime.

Survivors include his wife, Pat, daughter, Kimberly Felsen of Overland Park, KS, son, Michael Ufkin of Geneseo, IL, three grandchildren, Jenna Felsen of Highland, Indiana, Matthew (Chandler) Felsen of Overland Park, KS, Michael Felsen of Overland Park, KS, a sister, Anna Marie Wesner, of Morton, IL, several nieces and nephews, sister-in-law, Sharon Lohman of Rock Island, IL, and brother-in-law Raymond (Gloria) Long of Pekin, IL.

He was preceded in death by his parents Lawrence and Beulah Ufkin and parent in-laws Warren and Ella Mae Long, as well as his brothers-in-law, Michael Wesner and Lee Lohman.