James R. Vouk, 86, St. Cloud

October 2, 1938 - April 21, 2025

James R. Vouk passed away peacefully on Monday, April 21.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 AM on Friday, May 9, 2025 at St. Stephen Catholic Church in St. Stephen for James “Jim” Vouk. Rev. Ron Weyrens will officiate and burial will be in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 – 8:00 PM Thursday at the parish hall in St. Stephen and an hour prior to the service on Friday morning. A luncheon will be served after the burial. Arrangements have been entrusted to Williams Dingmann Funeral Home in St. Cloud.

Jim was born on Sunday, October 2nd, 1938, in St. Cloud to Bill (Sr.) and Olivia (Kosel) Vouk. He was a proud resident of St. Stephen until moving with his wife to St. Joseph in August 2019. He was very proud of his Slovenian heritage. He completed elementary school in St. Stephen District 130. He enjoyed his membership in St. Stephen Boy Scout troop 110, achieving the rank of first-class scout and serving as a Cub Scout Den chief and later as assistant scoutmaster. He was a member of the St. Stephen Sportsmen’s Club since the age of 12 and enjoyed squirrel, deer and turkey hunting. He attended Cathedral high school in St. Cloud for two years and graduated from St. Lawrence Seminary high school in Mt. Calvary, WI in 1955 at the age of 16. He was a member of St. Stephen’s parish, where he was an altar boy, sang first tenor in the parish choir for many years and also served as a lector. He rang the bells for the Corpus Christi procession for many years until passing the job on to his sons. He was a charter member of the Bishop Trobec Council of the Knights of Columbus, transferring from the St. Cloud council. He was a member of the St. Stephen Fire and Rescue Department for 30 years. He served our country in the Air Force for four years in the Security Service and the Strategic Air Command. He loved the Model A Ford and bought his first one of several, a 1931 coupe, in Council Bluffs, IA in June of 1960 and drove it home from Omaha, NE upon his honorable discharge. He enjoyed working on & driving his Model A’s and was a member of the Model A Ford Club of America since December of 1962 and the “Midstate A’s”, a local Model A club. He enjoyed dancing, (in his younger days) and listening to polka music, especially the “Jolly Brothers” and Frankie Yankovic.

He married the love of his life, Kathleen Schumer on Oct 12, 1963, in St. Stephen, and this union welcomed 10 children. He dearly loved his wife and family and greatly enjoyed the various holiday celebrations when the whole clan would gather together. His children fondly remember him taking them fishing to area lakes and opening weekend fishing trips to Upper Red Lake, his often creative Halloween costumes and his love of all things old time!

He was in charge of presenting the Vouk’s Steam Engine Threshing and Lumber-Sawing Show for the last 20 years of its 36-year run. He was a founding member of the Minnesota Steam Engine Association, designing its emblem and serving several terms as president and secretary-treasurer. He was a licensed steam traction engineer and enjoyed working with his grandfather’s 80hp Case engine, of which, he was half-owner for 19 years. He held Life memberships in the Stearns County Pioneer Club, the Forest City Threshers, and the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion. He was a charter member of the International J. I. Case Heritage Foundation, sending in several articles and photos to its publication, “The Heritage Eagle”, and photos of three of his grandsons have appeared on its cover. He operated a 48,000-bird broiler farm for Gold-n-Plump for 38 years. And was employed at DeZurik in Sartell for 31 years in the Information-Technology department.

He is survived by his sons and daughters and their spouses: Frank (Lisa), St. Stephen; Jackie Lee, St. Cloud; Andy (Tammy), Boise, ID; Gerise (Steve) Thompson, St. Joseph; Jason (Kirsten), Waite Park; Jill (Jeff) Drown, Clearwater; Alison (Luan) Tran, St. Joseph; James, St. Joseph; and Molly (Dan Klimek) Vouk, Aitkin; brothers: Bill Jr. (Ruth), Ray and Al, sisters: Linda (Randy) Midas, Peggy (Chuck) Parr, Sue Vouk, 26 grand-children, 14 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, son Michael, son-in-law Brian Lee, sisters Evelyn and Jenny Fiedler and his beloved wife of 57 years, Kathy on December 22, 2020.

The family wishes to thank the caregivers at Arlington Place for their exceptional care and also Moments Hospice for making his last days peaceful. Memorials are preferred.