James K. "Jim" Bax passed away on April 18, at the age of 85.
Jim was born in a small German settlement and raised on a farm near St. Elizabeth, a central part of Missouri. He lived with his parents, Sam and Augusta Bax nee Verhoff, his brothers, Richard and Robert, and his sisters Evelyn, Rosanna, and Rosetta. His first language was German, and when he started school, he had problems with English and the switch from writing with his left hand to his right hand according to instructions from his first-grade teacher. He then started to stutter. He wrote with his right hand but did everything else with his left hand. He also suffered from allergies including hay fever and asthma, which rural doctors at that time said was a mental condition and as he got older he would outgrow it. Of course, that never happened. He went to high school in St. Elizabeth and loved to play sports. He was the highest scorer in basketball and kept the record for many years.
After high school, his parents insisted he leave the farm and go to the city to get a job. After high school, he went into the army, where he was a member of ROTC during high school and served for six months active duty and then served in the reserves for many years. The first place he looked for a job was McDonnell Douglas and served his entire career there.
In 1961, he married Theresa Lischwe and had four daughters, Jeanette, Carol, Mary Jane, and Karen. He loved education and continued throughout his career taking courses to further his learning. He was competing with people who graduated with various degrees and normally was the highest grade in the class. He volunteered for charities at McDonnell Douglas, Woodson Terrace Planning and Zoning Commission, St. William School, and Church, Junior Achievement, Knights of Columbus, and Daily World Missionaries. He loved Woodson Terrace and retired at age 59 to High Hill on the farm where he raised cattle, chickens, guinea hens, dogs, cats, and gardened. His first bull was an accident that they were not able to make one of the calves into a steer. He hand-fed the animals which helped him to sell his bulls since they were docile and friendly. He retired from the cattle business when he was no longer able to take care of them due to issues in the wintertime with ice and water. He volunteered with St. Patrick's Church, Jonesburg Chamber of Commerce, Elks Lodge, St. Vincent DePaul, and Holy Rosary Church throughout his retirement. He wanted to do the following and succeeded. "Enjoyed a challenge and usually became interested in trying to do the thing that most people said was impossible and gave up on doing. Was a person that would almost never give up but instead would stay in there fighting to accomplish the task he set out to do. Loved to organize and share his success with other people so they too can enjoy the same type of success he has had. Gave more of himself that he expected to receive in return." He also expected his tombstone to say "He worked hard at everything he did, in fact so hard that I must have enjoyed work."
Jim is survived by his beloved wife Theresa Bax nee Lischwe of Jonesburg; four daughters, Jeanette (Mark Kurtz) Bax-Kurtz, Carol Whayne, Mary Jane (Tony) Petralli, Karen Murphy; grandchildren Emily (Billy) Boner, Mark John Kurtz, Jr. Lauren Merchant, Andria Petralli, Jaimie Kurtz, Brittany Merchant, Hannah Murphy, Brendan Murphy; great-grandchildren Aubrie Boner, Naomi Boner, and Everett Dare; siblings, Robert (Sharon) Bax, Evelyn Loethem, Rosanna (Gene) Bisges, Rosetta (Eddie) Sommers, sister-in-law, Ramona Bax. Jim is preceded in death by a brother, Richard Bax, his father, Sam H. Bax, and his mother, Augusta Bax.
A visitation was held on April 20 at Pitman Funeral Home in Warrenton. A funeral will be held Friday, April 21 at 10 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Warrenton. Burial to follow at Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery, Warrenton. Memorials can be made to Holy Rosary Church or School, and St. Vincent DePaul Society.
