A graveside service for James Lee (Jim) Athey, 82, will be Friday, October 7 at 11:00 a.m. at Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, October 6 between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home & Crematory. Jim passed from this life into eternal life Monday, September 26, 2022, at his home in Eudora Kansas.
Jim was born on a farm in Baldwin, Kansas, October 10, 1939, to Harve and Olive Athey. He graduated from Baldwin High School in 1959.
Soon after High School, while working for a local appliance store, Jim trained as a repair technician at the Maytag Corporation in Kansas City, Kansas. In 1983 Jim turned his aptitude for fixing things into Athey Appliance Repair and spent the next 30+ years repairing household appliances for customers throughout Douglas County. In the interim, Jim’s other jobs included working at the Lawrence Box Factory, installing wiring in pipe organs at Reuter Organ Company, and distributing baked goods to area IGA stores in Lawrence.
Jim was a faithful Christian who loved the Lord, his family, the church. As a deacon at Southside Church of Christ, he put his heart into planning and setting up dinners for church potlucks, retreats, and other church events. Jim also occasionally led singing.
Jim loved life and he touched those around him with his energetic nature. He had a strong work ethic and resolved daily to focus on the positive aspects of life. He lit up the room with his smile.
Jim was most relaxed when spending time outdoors. His favorite pastime was fishing, and he enjoyed inviting others to go with him. Jim’s enjoyment of cooking shone through the flavor of fried fish dinners he shared with his family and those he and Joyce invited to their home, and fruit pies he shared at church potlucks. When it was too cold to fish, he spent evenings tying flies for fly fishing. Jim also enjoyed tending his garden and photographing Kansas plants and wildlife.
Jim married Linda (Joyce) Smith on November 20, 1962. Jim and Joyce were married 54 years until her death on February 21, 2017.
Jim was also preceded in death by his parents, Harve and Olive, sister, Norma Walburn, brother, Jesse Athey, and his eldest granddaughter, Lisa Dawn Athey. He is survived by daughter, Alexia Maben (Paul), son, Shawn Athey (Melissa), and daughter, Gwen Mallot (Bill). He is also survived by his sister, Shirley Tarpy, grandchildren: Tabitha, Diana, Jessica, Collyn, Alexis, and Darrell, and his dog, Tyke.
Memorial contributions may be made to Douglas County Meals on Wheels or Southside Church of Christ, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1260 Lawrence, KS 66044.
