James Griffiths - Adel

James Griffiths, 96, passed away September 7, 2012 at Winterset Care Center South. Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, September 15 at McCalley Funeral Home in Adel with a visitation one hour prior to the service. Private family burial will be at Oakdale Cemetery in Adel. James was born August 12, 1916 to James and Margaret (Roberts) Griffiths in the coal mining town of Bevier, MO where "Jimmy" was the youngest of six kids. The Griffiths family lived on "Welsh Hill" in Bevier until 1929 and then moved to Altoona, where they lived for many years. Jim was inducted in the U.S. Army on April 7,1941. He was in Baton Rouge when news came of Pearl Harbor. He was a Sergeant of the 34th (Red Bull) Division, Company E 133rd Infantry. He was sent to Europe on February 17, 1942. Jim was captured by the Germans in March of 1944 at Anzio Beach Head, Italy and was held in the POW camp, Stalag 7A, in Germany, 50 miles outside of Berlin, until his release in June 1945. He was a member of the Ex-POWs, the VFW and American Legion. After returning from the war, Jim married LaVaun Zieman in 1946. They had one daughter, Jackie. They lived in Adel their entire married life. Jim worked as a milk route driver for the Adel Dairy, Northland dairy, Hyland dairy, Borden's, Flynn and Prairie Farms. He retired from the milk business and went to work in 1976 for the State of Iowa and worked at the I-80 rest area near Waukee for three years. Jim and LaVaun loved to fish and spent many weekends on the Raccoon River and vacationing in Canada. They enjoyed traveling to watch the grandchildren participate in softball, baseball and rodeo. Jim loved to garden, and his tomatoes, watermelon and cantaloupe were some of the best around. Jim is survived by his daughter, Jackie (Jerry) Orton; grandchildren, Kaci (Marc) Kious, Joe Orton, TJ Orton; and great granddaughter, Riley Kious, all of Lorimor. He is preceded in death by his parents, wife and siblings. Memorial contributions may be made to the Adel American Legion Post 464, ADM Scholarship Fund, or the Winterset PTO. Online condolences may be made at www.mccalleyfuneralhome.com. Service: 11:00 a.m. Saturday September 15, 2012 McCalley Funeral Home Visitation: One hour prior to the service McCalley Funeral Home