Jan. 16, 1951 – Feb. 13, 2025
James (Jim) E. Straeter, 74, of Rochester, was surrounded by his loving family when he passed away Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, at the University of Chicago Medical Center in Chicago, Ill.
On Jan. 16, 1951, in Breese, Ill., James Edwin Straeter was born to Victor and Mary (Schumacher) Straeter. Growing up he shared his childhood with four sisters and two brothers. Jim graduated from Mater Dei Catholic High School in Breese in 1969. He continued his formal education at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Ill., earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics in secondary education in 1973.
On July 29th, 2000, Jim married Melinda Cheesman, repeating their vows at their home in Rochester. Together they shared 24 years of life's adventures and blending their beautiful family of two more generations.
Jim is lovingly remembered by his wife Melinda Straeter; children Matthew (Lindsay) Straeter, Jesse (Alycia) Straeter and Michael Straeter, all of Rochester, Eric Straeter, of Westfield, and Hillary (Brad) Johnson, of Rochester; 10 grandchildren, Ellie, Mason, Elijah, Nora, Elena, Lillian, Evelyn, Kaden, Luke and Cameron; a brother, Virgil (Janice) Straeter, of Highland, Ill.; and four sisters, Marge (Mike) Detmer, of St. Rose, Ill., Eileen (Gary) Straeter-Kerr, of Springfield, Ill., Lori (Ross) Campbell, of Rochester, Minn., and Diane Urzi, of St. Louis, Mo.
Preceding Jim in death are his parents, Victor and Mary Straeter, and brother, Frank Straeter.
Following in his father’s footsteps, in the agriculture equipment industry, Jim worked for New Holland Corporate field testing a TR70 combine in the early 1970s. He found a way to improve crop flow into the twin rotors on that machine and got his first patent for it. Jim transitioned from a field test guy to a territory representative calling on New Holland dealers in Indiana. In 1983 in Rochester, he took over a New Holland dealership. When New Holland told him they were going to do away with “company owned” stores, he had two options: to be out of a job, or cash in his savings and buy it from New Holland. He chose the latter of the two, and grew that into a family business that now consists of a complex of over 100 employees throughout six farm equipment dealerships and one solar energy company in Indiana.
Along with being an entrepreneur, Jim was an inventor who was awarded 22 patents in his lifetime. His Cornrower invention earned a silver medal for Outstanding Innovations in Product or Systems Technology at AGRITECHNICA in 2013, the showcase for the global agricultural technology, and earned an APEX Award from Purdue University in 2015. He has come up with several other inventions or small-scale projects that were never for sale, like a pumpkin washing conveyor/sprayer for the pumpkin patch, or a large grill to cook pancakes for the Optimist pancake breakfasts. Other patented inventions for the business include his SolarCAM solar stand design, Cornrower to collect corn stover to harvest, an air flow kit for combines to increase sieve cleaning capacity, and a belt design to carry seed from multiple seed meters on a planter row unit, just to name a few.
With a servant's heart, Jim was deeply involved in his local community, serving as a lifetime member of the Optimist Club since 1984, and received 11 awards including Honor Club Treasurer, Distinguished Club Treasurer, Optimist of the Year, Outstanding Service Award and a President’s Citation for Outstanding Membership. He earned a Fulton County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award in 2009 as recognition for his stellar community service. He served on the boards for the Fulton County 4-H Fair, Rochester Community School, Fulton County Chamber of Commerce, FEDCO, Woodlawn Foundation and the Woodlawn Hospital Board. He was also an active member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church.
A man of diverse interests, Jim had many hobbies such as growing pumpkins with the Optimist Club, producing honey from his bees, watching his Purple Martin bird feeders, growing his garden and fruit trees to can/freeze fruit and vegetables, restoring antique farm equipment, playing a family favorite card game euchre and enjoying his grandkids.
The Funeral Liturgy welcoming family and friends will be celebrated for Jim E. Straeter at 10 a.m. EST Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, at the St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1310 Main St., Rochester.A visitation for friends will be held an hour prior to his service at the church. Rev. Anthony Rowland will officiate.
Burial will follow at the Mt. Zion Cemetery. Jim's family will receive friends from 3-7 p.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in the Good Family Funeral Home, 1200 W. 18th St., Rochester. Preferred memorials may be made to: The Rochester Optimist Club - Jim Straeter Scholarship, P.O. Box 1044, Rochester, IN 46975. Online expressions of sympathy may be made to his family at www.goodfamilyfh.com.
The Funeral Liturgy & Celebration of Life services of James E. "Jim" Straeter will be live-streamed at 10 a.m. EST Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025. Log on to Facebook and search for JD Good to view the services.
