James "Jim" Lee Drewelow

James “Jim” Lee Drewelow, age 70, of New Hampton, Iowa, passed away peacefully of natural causes at New Hampton Nursing & Rehab with the comfort of family and friends.

Funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 2, 2025 at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hampton with Rev. Sue Cira presiding.

Friends may greet the family an hour prior to the service on Friday at the church.

Interment will follow at Boyd Cemetery.

Jim was born on June 13, 1955, to Lyle and Dorothy (Champion) Drewelow at Camp Lejeune Marine Base in North Carolina. The family later moved to Iowa, where Jim grew up in Boyd. As a child, Jim was a shy, typical middle child who preferred working quietly and tinkering on things with his hands. He attended New Hampton schools where he enjoyed being involved in FFA and shop. He loved learning to build and fix things. That love of hands-on work stayed with him throughout his life. Jim took pride in building projects of his own, including a chicken coop/shed—a lasting reminder of his craftsmanship, with the shed still standing today on his nephew Tony’s property.

Jim graduated in 1974 and following high school, he joined the United States military where he was stationed to complete basic training. However, due to chronic knee issues, he was unable to complete his training and returned home to Iowa

After returning home, Jim worked as a site manager for a local hog farm/operator. He later became a maintenance technician at Sara Lee, where he worked for over 30 years until the company’s New Hampton plant closure. For a time, Jim was also an entrepreneur, selling Home Interior products and enjoying the independence and personal connections that came with it

In 1978, Jim settled down in Lawler, Iowa, where he designed and built his own home with help from his father. He lived there for many years until declining health required him to sell his home and move into a retirement residence in 2021

Jim deeply valued his community and was always willing to support it—often by buying raffle tickets from anyone who asked. He treasured time spent visiting with family, enjoyed arts and crafts, and loved discussing music and its legends. He was an avid sports fan who followed the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Minnesota Vikings and also loved riding his snowmobile on the trails in his younger years. Jim enjoyed lively political discussions and was a gifted storyteller, often reliving historical moments through his own personal stories. For many years, until he was no longer able, Jim faithfully delivered Sunday newspapers to country residents throughout Chickasaw County, often with the companionship of his brother

Though Jim did not travel often, he was fortunate to enjoy a memorable trip to Myrtle Beach with his brothers, sister-in-law, nephew, and nephew’s wife. The week-long trip was something he truly loved and spoke fondly of

Loved ones left to cherish his memories include his nephew and caregiver, Tony (Jennifer) Drewelow of Waverly and their children Leelu and Nyko; nieces, Tia (Edwin) Lazo of Middlesex, NC and their children Brenda, Michael, Paul; Tanya (Don) Perkins of Cresco and their son Bowen; sister-in-law Mary Ann Drewelow of New Hampton; step niece Teresa (Shelby) Stapleton of Alta Vista and children Shane Laures, Elizabeth (Bryan) Hauser, Sydney (Aden) Zwanziger; step nephews Dan (Christine) Venem of New Hampton, children Ashton and Kale; John (Alicia) Venem of New Hampton, children Jude, Jaxson and Ari

He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Bernard and Leslie “Les”.