James William "Jim" Romig

James William "Jim" Romig of Battle Creek, MI

Jim, age 91, died Friday morning, April 22, 2016 at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital following a lengthy illness.

Jim, the son of William Maurice and Thirza (Parmenter) Romig was born in Scotts, MI on May 18, 1924; was a lifetime area resident and a 1942 graduate of Scotts High School. He served his country honorably and nobly during World War II in the United States Navy as a Seaman First Class aboard the USS Remey (DD-688), a Fletcher-Class Destroyer. Jim saw action in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and was present during the defeat of the Japanese Navy in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He retired in 1983 after 20 years of faithful service with Post Cereal Company (General Foods) as a Pneumatics Technician. Jim was a member of the 20thStreet Church of Christ of Battle Creek. He was an avid outdoorsman especially loved fishing and was known to play a round of golf wherever asked! He and Reba traveled the entire country and to Australia, New Zealand, England and Scotland. They wintered in Taft, TX for the past 20 years, where he assisted a friend in building an UltraLite airplane and also enjoyed building radio-controlled model airplanes. Jim was still playing baseball into his 70's with a traveling team, the Battle Creek Wreck. He was known for his woodworking prowess and was a huge fan of the Detroit Tigers and Michigan State Spartans, but his pride and joy was a 34 foot Hunter Sailboat named Surigao. It was so named for the famous battle Jim was involved in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the Straits of Surigao.

Jim was united in marriage to Reba C. (nee: Terry) Hall in Portage, MI on August 13, 1988. Surviving is his wife of almost 28 years, Reba; two daughters, Julia M. (John) Bortnik of Three Rivers, MI and Gayle A. (Delmar) Bachert of Hastings, MI; two step-daughters, Jackie F. Shea of Battle Creek and Sandi M. Howard of Panama City, FL; his son, Maurice W. Romig of Kalamazoo, MI; a step-son, O. Ray (Marsha) Hall of Battle Creek; twelve grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and a step-daughter, Mary M. Hall.

The Funeral Service to celebrate Jim's life will be held on Wednesday, April 27th at 10:30 a.m. at the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, Battle Creek with Rev. Josh Hydrick, Pastor of the 20th Street Church of Christ, officiating. Entombment will follow the Service in Memorial Park Cemetery with the United States Navy Honor Guard bestowing military honors. Family and friends will continue Jim's life celebration with a time of fellowship and a luncheon immediately following the committal service at the 20th Street Church of Christ Social Hall, 122 20th Street, 49015. Jim's family will greet friends on Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Jim's honor may be directed to the Alzheimer's Association, 2111 University Park Drive, Okemos, MI 48864 or the Church