James "Jim" Albert Statema, 68, died April 17, 2009 at the Long Prairie Hospital.

Funeral services will be held at noon on Thursday, April 23, 2009 at Christ the King Catholic Church in Browerville, with Father David Maciej officiating.

Arrangements were with the Iten Funeral Home in Browerville.

Jim was born Jan.16, 1941 to John and Dena Statema in Little Elk Township by Coal Lake. He attended Batavia School District 54 for eight years and graduated from Staples High School in 1959. He married Constance Lunemann of Clarissa on Nov. 25, 1967.

In 1974, they moved to the family farm near Browerville. Jim worked as a machinist for 25 years and then started "digging holes" and driving his Mack trucks when he began Statema Backhoe in 1994. Jim loved to farm, hunt, fish and spend quality time at their lake cabin with his children and grandchildren and tractor pulling with his grandsons.

Jim is survived by his wife, two sons, Andy (Gina) Statema of Browerville; Steve (Penny) Statema of Staples; one daughter, Angela (Mike) Anderson of Cushing; and six grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Jean Statema, and one brother Calvin Statema.

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