James "Jim" Edward Ketchum

James Edward "Jim" Ketchum, 88, formerly of Auburn, passed away September 26, 2023 at Laclede Groves Retirement Community in Webster Groves, Missouri.

Jim was born July 18, 1935, to Roy and Maude (Campbell) Ketchum in Taylorville, Illinois.  He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Wanda; one infant sister, Anna Belle and one brother, Roy Eugene "Gene" Jr.

He attended Taylorville and Divernon High Schools, graduating from the latter in 1953.  He married his high school sweetheart, Wanda Lee Seiders on May 29, 1955 at the Divernon Baptist Church.  Jim and Wanda raised four daughters in Auburn, Illinois where they lived for 67 years.  The couple owned and operated Edgewood Shooting Park on Divernon Road south of Auburn, employing dozens of teens over the years.  Jim was also a part-time Shelter insurance agent.

Jim went to work as a lineman for the Rural Electric Convenience Co-Operative immediately after high school where he was employed for 45 years.  During that time, he also served 2 years in the U.S. Army, stationed in the territory of Hawaii. 

A hot rod nut, Jim could be seen tooling around town in his red 1939 Chevy Coupe or his 1978 Corvette Stingray.

Jim was a Master Mason and member of Ark & Anchor Lodge #354 since 1967.  Additionally, he became a noble in the Ansar Shriners in 1979, serving on the Director's Staff and was a member of the Court 20 Royal Order of Jesters.

An accomplished marksman, Jim was a state and national trapshooting champion.  He also served as the assistant coach for an award-winning youth team from the Scholastic Clay Target Program.

Jim is survived by four daughters, Becky (Scott) Wiley of Freeport, Dee Dee (Kevin) Walsh of St. Louis, and twins, Kris (Andy) Nothnagel of Edwardsville and Kelly (David) Brown of Freeport; brother, Bob and Joyce (Ladage) Ketchum of Arizona and half-brother, Sammy and Janice (Carter) Barger of Iowa; step-sister, Sharron (Gardner) Nickel of Divernon; brother-in-law, Jim (Maris) Seiders of San Antonio, Texas; sisters-in-law, Dorothy (Van Giesen) Seiders of Farmersville, Illinois and Rita (Janesse) Seiders of Springfield, Illinois; cousin, Irene (Campbell) Rickman; granddaughters, Rachel Carlson and Melanie Brown; grandsons, Kevin and Christopher Wiley; great-granddaughters, Ellia and twins, Noa and Rowyn Wiley; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 11am till time of Celebration of Life at 1pm, Thursday Oct 5, 2023 at the Bramley Funeral Home in Auburn, Illinois.  Burial at Brush Creek Cemetery, Divernon, Illinois. 

 In lieu of flowers, donations can be dedicated in memory of Jim Ketchum to the Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis, Missouri by clicking the Donate link from the website Shriners Children's St. Louis | Children's Hospital 

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