James Henry Bruns, also known as Jimmy, was born on March 25th, 1988, in Galva, Iowa. He passed away on August 19th, 2024, at the age of 36, in Omaha, NE after a tragic motorcycle accident with his wife Jessica.
James resided in Glidden, IA where he and his wife and three children lived. James met his wife of 18 years at the Lake View Carnival. They dated for a few years before James decided Jessie was the one and only for him. They married September 3rd, 2011. They then had their three children Hadley (12), Truman (9) and Brexlee (6) in the years ahead. They enjoyed time together camping, boating and spending lots of time with family and friends. As the kids started getting older, James and Jessie enjoyed watching their kids in extracurricular activities and making lots of memories.
James was a man of many passions, finding joy in hunting and fishing with his son and family. He was particularly proud of his ability to create smokers and was known for his impressive collection of football and baseball cards. He enjoyed watching football and cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes. One of his proudest accomplishments was achieving a perfect score in ribs at a local BBQ contest, a testament to his culinary skills and love for community gatherings. He also enjoyed doing demolition derbys with his late father (Dale Bruns) and his brother Jon. Above all, James had a heart of gold. He loved nothing more than helping others, having a beer and always ready to lend a hand to anyone in need. His warmth and generosity left a lasting impression on all who knew him, as he was able to make a friend out of anyone he met.
James is survived by his beloved wife, Jessica Bruns, and their three cherished children: Hadley, Truman, and Brexlee. He is also remembered by his mother, Marie Bruns LeClair (Paul LeClair); father-in-law David Johnson Jr. (Nancy Johnson); brother Jon Bruns; sister Jennifer Graf (Mike Graf); and brothers and sisters-in-laws Melissa Vanderbeek (Chris Vanderbeek), Nick Johnson (Brittany Johnson). He was a proud uncle to his nieces and nephews: Ashlynn Bruns, Brayden Johnson, Emma Vanderbeek, Brantley Burnham, Jaxtyn Vanderbeek, Ruthie Johnson, Aria Vanderbeek, and Reese Johnson. James’ spirit will continue to live on through the many lives he touched.
He is joined in death with his father Dale D. Bruns, uncles Darrell Bruns, James A. Ploeger, maternal grandmother Dorothy L. Ploeger, great grandparents Herman Jr. and Louise Hogrefe, Clarence and Zoa Ploeger, Bernard Bruns, Charles and Lena Bruns and Henry and Gertie Harms. He will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, August 27th, 2024 at Central Church (24336 Highway 30, Carroll, IA) with Pastor Ryan Gallegos officiating. Casket bearers will be Ky Barker, Jarret Bock, Dave Ertz, Jonathan Bruns, Nick Johnson, and Chris Vanderbeek. Burial will be in the Merle Hay Memorial Cemetery near Glidden.
Visitation will be held at Central Church from 5 – 7 P.M. on Monday, August 26th, 2024. Additional visitation will be held from 9:30 – 10:15 A.M. on Tuesday prior to the service.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com
