James Imthurn - 9/20/25

We gather today to mourn the death of James Imthurn. While his death took us all by surprise and leaves us reeling, today we do not want to focus only on the fact that he has died. We also want to remember that he lived. In addition, we want to draw lessons from his life that we can apply to our own.

In the Bible we find hope, even in the face of death. Jesus, when speaking to His disciples said this,

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. (John 14:1-3, NLT)

Today, we can mourn with hope because Jesus has promised that there is life beyond this life. We cling to that hope even as we grieve today. As we go through this service, we desire the Lord’s comfort and strength, so will you pray with me to that end?

Our Heavenly Father, we come today with heavy hearts. We feel the pain of loss acutely today. But at the same time, we are grateful for the impact of Jim Imthurn and the life he had. Father, today we pray for your comfort and strength. May we mourn, but mourn with the hope that only You can provide. Help us, we ask, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

SONG – When I’m Gone – 3 Doors Down

James “Jim” Allen Imthurn II, was born April 18th, 1967 in Tucson, Arizona, the son of James and Sharon (James) Imthurn. He spent his early childhood years in the Tuscon area, and later moved to Blandinsville, Illinois. He graduated from Northwestern High School in 1985 and married Joni Jones on August 23, 1997 at the Abundant Life Church in La Harpe.

Jim worked at Vaughn & Bushnell Manufacturing in Bushnell, Illinois for 16 years and for the last 4 years was employed at Titan Foundry in Hamilton, Illinois. He also worked at Oak Grove Hog Barn for the Scheetz family for 5 years. Jim enjoyed riding motorcycles, spending time with his family, attending church, playing bags, fishing, harvesting and selling ginseng roots, and his Thursday night campfires.

Jim passed away on Thursday, September 11th, 2025 at Blessing Hospital. He was preceded in death by his parents and one son, Zachary Jones.

He is survived by his wife: Joni Imthurn; three sons: Alex Gooden, Jeremy Imthurn, and Brayden Imthurn; one daughter: Cheyenne Imthurn; three grandchildren: Ashlynn, Avery, and Elliot; four sisters: Julia Pitts, Jennifer Imthurn, Theresa Manning, and Joangela Kiley; as well as several nieces and nephews.

SONG – Mama I’m Coming Home – Ozzy Osbourne

Jim Imthurn attended the Union Church for many years and was a fixture in our congregation most every Sunday. It has been funny to me over the last week or so, as I’ve talked to people about him and heard stories about him, that my impression of him on a Sunday morning was very different from most people’s impression of him. I would have told you that Jim was quiet, a man of few words. Most weeks, when I would see him, we’d shake hands and exchange just a few words. On rare occasions, he might tell me about something going on in his life, but always in quiet respectful tones. What I’ve come to learn is that Jim was not that way around most people. In fact, many times he was almost completely the opposite!

The family told me that most of the time they couldn’t get Jim to shut up! He was fun and he was funny. He was a source of humor and life in almost every circumstance. Jim loved his family, even if they often got on his nerves (and vice versa). He loved his children and grandchildren and had become quite fond of having the little ones around the house.

Jim was pretty good at most things with his hands, and he was generally willing to help just about anyone with just about anything if they asked. I’m told the only time Jim was sure to tell someone no was on Sunday. In Jim’s mind, Sunday was for church and rest…and also NASCAR. Though Jim’s life may not have always appeared to have been anchored to faith, he insisted that church and his relationship with the Lord were very important to him.

Somewhat paradoxically, while church was one of Jim’s weekly priorities, it was not his only one. Most weeks, he worked Monday through Thursday. When that happened, Jim always wanted to have a bonfire on Thursday night. He would build a fire, invite people over, and they’d spend the night hanging out, listening to loud music and just being outside or in the garage. One of the hallmarks of these campfires for Jim was his drink of choice: some Southern Comfort mixed with Pepsi. Jim insisted, however, that his SoCo had to be 100 proof, and was always disappointed when he had to purchase it in town, where he could only get it as 70 proof. After one of these bonfires, he’d (understandably) sleep in late the next day. But this was the only time Jim would drink. He was actually quite disciplined in that regard.

Jim also loved riding motorcycles, especially his Harley. He enjoyed being out on the open road. One of his lifelong dreams was to go to Sturgis for bike week. One year, he, Terry, and a group of guys headed up for their dream trip to Sturgis. Sometimes, while he was driving, Jim would almost get into a trance, and wouldn’t pay as close of attention as maybe he should have. As a result, on the trip up, he got a little too close to a construction pylon. He clipped his foot on it, but amazingly managed to keep the bike upright. When they stopped, they knew he was hurt, but they pressed on to Rapid City. Jim’s foot was broken and they put him in a boot. Sunday he pretty much stayed in bed, as he was in a lot of pain. But after that, he participated in everything throughout the rest of the week, all while wearing that boot. He even ended up driving his bike all the way home with it. He wasn’t going to let anything stand in the way of his dream trip. And that actually made it even more memorable.

Jim truly enjoyed time spent with his family. He loved to take the boys on fishing trips, and loved taking the grandkids on rides on the bike. Cheyenne recalled having many adventures with her dad, but possibly one of the most memorable was when he taught her to drive a stick in the Jeep. Like any new driver, she struggled, and her dad was only able to put up with it for so long before declaring he needed a break. I’m told he had a lot of adventures in that Jeep, including bringing home a tractor tire rim from Hamilton tied to the top! While he loved all of his children, Cheyenne insisted that he continued to tell her that she was the favorite.

Growing up, Jim and his sisters spent a lot of time camping and loved playing outdoors, especially down at the Colchester dam. Jim and the girls often got themselves into all sorts of trouble as well. I’m told that Jim and Jennifer used to make Julia eat mud pies. Once, he and Jennifer were chasing each other and Jim pretended to hit her…but he actually connected. The result was that she got to go to Easter services with a black eye the next day. Despite all of that, the girls all knew that Jim had their back. When Jennifer was living in Missouri and was having issues with her boyfriend, Jim didn’t hesitate when she asked him to come and bring her home. Joangela said she always felt welcome at Jim and Joni’s house, that it was like a second home for her. And she said Jim was like a father figure to her and the only positive male role model in her life.

Jim loved his wife dearly, even though they could easily get on each other’s nerves. He didn’t like it when Joni had to work late and he was home alone. Even though they often worked somewhat different schedules, he would make it a point to call her and talk to her at least once, often twice a day. He loved the family they’d built together.

Jim was a hard worker. He worked manual labor jobs for most of his life, but was dedicated to whatever he was doing. He was punctual—almost to a fault. The family all knew that Jim was going to be wherever he needed to be at least an hour early. They all said that they have time anxiety to this day because of this. In order for Jim to be at work as early as he wanted, he was up most days at 3:30 AM. Because of this, it also meant he went to bed early. Everyone eventually learned that it was forbidden to make noise after about 7:00 PM. Brayden and Andrew Jones once came home one evening and decided to make bacon, because they were hungry. Apparently, they made too much noise, and Jim woke up. He was furious because not only had they woken him, but now the house smelled like bacon!

Even though he was a hard and reliable worker, he was also quite fond of pranks. If I understand the story correctly, when Jim was in high school, he and some buddies of his decided to throw a cup of water into the car of one of their classmates—when he was all dressed up for prom. Apparently, Jim never grew out of this desire to have a water fight. Through the years there were multiple instances of he and Joni (and many others) having water fights. But I want to make sure you get the full picture. They did not merely splash water at each other or use squirt guns. No, they would start by throwing a glass of water, then a pitcher, and then progress to using the hose. And this was not only outdoors, it was indoors too! Even though it was a mess, everyone looks back on those times as some of their favorite.

He was also a fan of a good practical joke too. When Jim was working in Bushnell, Amanda was nearby, and thought it would be funny to leave him some love notes on his windshield, as though he had a secret admirer. She did this on multiple occasions. Jim, to his credit, always brought the notes home to Joni and showed them to her, but Joni knew what was really happening. This went on for quite a while until one day Amanda met him at his car and asked if he was interested in going on a date with his secret admirer. He couldn’t believe he’d been had, but had a good laugh at it all.

Jim enjoyed sparring with the people around him, but it was almost always good-natured (with the exception of George McConnell). Shelby said that she and Jim loved to pick on each other, but he always had a soft spot for her.

He was a good cook too, though he was primarily concerned with cooking for himself. If he was grilling, when his food was done, he was going inside, so you better be ready to eat too! When he’d go mushroom hunting, he was unlikely to share. He argued that if you wanted mushrooms, you should find them yourself! The exception was once again Shelby, who he would let eat enough mushrooms to make herself sick.

Similarly, he loved going into the woods to hunt for ginseng. He was good at it and was proud of his finds.

Jim was a man who brought life to everyone around him and was a man of honor. He was willing to help in whatever way he could, and was principled, even if that was not always readily apparent. Jim understood what was important in his life and he ordered his life accordingly. That’s a trait I think we should all strive to emulate.

SONG – If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away – Justin Moore

As I mentioned at the beginning, grieving the loss of a loved one is hard, but because of Jesus, we can have hope, even in the face of loss. Jesus promised that He made it possible for us to live even though we die. He promised that everyone who trusts in Him for salvation and new life will spend eternity with Him in Heaven when their time on this earth comes to a close.

But we must see all of what Jesus said. The second part of the passage I read earlier about Jesus promising that He was preparing a place for us says this,

4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:4-6, NLT)

Many people, when trying to comfort those who grieve will tell people, “They’re in a better place.” Jesus tells us that for some, that is indeed true—far better than we can even imagine. But it is not true for everyone. Jesus makes it clear that not everyone goes to Heaven when they die. It is only through faith in Jesus that we can experience the eternal life He has prepared for us. It is my hope that Jim Imthurn had such faith. If so, then today he is more alive than he has ever been. Today he has been delivered from the pains and struggles of this world and is experiencing life the way it was meant to be.

But we would be foolish if we did not take this opportunity to reflect on our own eternal destination. The suddenness of Jim’s death reminds us that our lives can be taken from us at any time. As such, we should make sure we are confident of where we will spend eternity.

Jesus makes it clear that He, alone, is the way to eternal life. It’s not enough for us to say we have been baptized, or that our family is part of a church, or that we were raised in a Christian home, or even that we go to church regularly, or know the Bible forwards and backwards. Our only hope is to trust in Jesus, turn to Him for forgiveness, and follow Him with our lives. My hope is that today, you will make sure you can face your own death with confidence, because none of us knows when our last breath will be.

SONG – Never Not Remember You – Cooper Allen

As we reflect on the life of James Imthurn, I want to draw a few lessons I think we can learn from his life.

1. If you decide up front what your priorities are, it makes a lot of decisions much simpler. Decide what’s important and make time for those things. Everything else will take care of itself.

2. Family is a gift from God to be cherished and enjoyed. Take time to show the people in your life they are special and important to you.

3. When driving down the road, it’s important to pay attention to your surroundings…otherwise you might miss something important.

4. Hard work is honorable. Being someone who keeps their word is a worthy thing to aspire to. Be someone who does what they say they will, when they say they will.

5. But don’t work so hard that you forget to enjoy the blessings of life. Work hard, but also have fun with those you love.

6. When someone starts a water fight, you should definitely finish it—and involve as many others in the process as possible.

7. Faith in Christ is not something secondary in life. In the end, it’s all that truly matters, so make sure you decide where you stand with Jesus today.

Will you pray with me?

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for Jim’s life, for the impact he made, the love he shared, and the memories he leaves behind. Lord, we ask for your presence and care for this family as they grieve. As they walk through the days, months, and years ahead, give them your strength and comfort as they learn to live life without Jim. Grant them the peace and hope that comes from the reality that this life is not all there is. Surround them with your love, we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.