James O. Wurst

James Owen Wurst, 86, of Pigeon, died Saturday, February 11, 2023 at Country Gardens in Pigeon. The Lord and Shirley called him home.

He arrived August 3, 1936, the first of seven children born to Aura Muriel and Adolph Frederick Ernest Wurst. Jim graduated from Pigeon Rural Agricultural High School in 1954, where he played baseball, football, ran track, and taught his classmates how to weld. From the time he was young Jim worked with his father in the family foundry. Among other things, they made steel boats, at least one of which - The Miss Port Sanilac - remains in the water to this day. In the early 1970s Jim established his own tile drainage business, JO Wurst Company, and was possibly the first contractor in North America to lay plastic drain tile. He was a member of the Land Improvement Contractor’s Association, the First United Methodist Church of Pigeon, and many bowling teams. On January 6, 1984 Jim wed the love of his life, Shirley Marie Mischung. They enjoyed boating, fishing, Dairy Queen, and their children, grands and great grandchildren. Jim was a loving brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend.

He is survived by his daughter, Laurie Walker and son-in-law, Ray Quiel, daughter-in-law Rosemary Wurst, step-daughters and sons-in-law Michelle (Steve) Louwers and Melissa (Dirk) DeBoer; grandchildren Emily Koeller, Amanda (Sam) Graber, Chris Louwers, Chase Louwers, Dalton and Delaney DeBoer, Matt, Cris, and Brad Rinderknecht, and great-grandchildren Betty and Iris Graber. Brothers Leroy (Janice) and Duane Wurst, sisters Shirley (Ken) Kasserman and Lorna Bergman also survive. His wife Shirley, son Jeffrey James and brothers Keith and Robert predeceased him.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Country Gardens in Pigeon for their stellar care of both Jim and Shirley.

A memorial service will be 3:00pm Wednesday, April 5th at the Champagne Funeral Chapel in Pigeon with Rev. David Leineke officiating. Interment will be in Caseville Twp. Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 1:00pm and continue until the time of the service.

Memorials may be made to Country Gardens.