James Camden

James Norman Camden passed away Sunday afternoon, May 23, 2010 at Decatur Memorial Hospital.

Funeral mass will be 10:00 AM Thursday May 27, 2010 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with Father Rick Weltin officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday May 26, 2010 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Dawson & Wikoff North Funeral Home on US 51, Decatur. Burial will be in North Fork Cemetery with military rites. Condolences may be sent to the family via email at www.dawson-wikoff.com

Jim was born July 20, 1925 in Pocahontas, IA to Pearl and Violet Camden. He spent all of his boyhood in the Milmine-Bement area. He was a good athlete, competing in basketball and football in high school. He later attended Millikin University after serving in the Navy during WWII. He was a member of the Seabees while stationed in the South Pacific. He was employed at Houdaille-Hershey after the war, and then was co-owner of Rusk TV & Appliance. He retired after being a real estate broker for over 20 years. He was very involved in his church, Our Lady of Lourdes and active in community service organizations. He was a life time member and Past President of the Ambucs, was a member of Golden K and South Side Country Club. He enjoyed going to horse shows with his children. He was recognized as Unsung Hero of the Week; he loved children and was known as Mr. Jim by both kids and adults. He was an avid bowler, golfer and loved to play gin rummy. Jim was a huge Illini fan, always wearing his "Illini gear" and attended football and basketball games for years. He was a Friday night regular for dinners at the American Legion. Jim traveled the world, enjoying the flavor of each country he visited. He kissed the “blarney stone” and rode camels in Istanbul. He married Marilyn Rusk and had two children, and then many years later married Barbara Hall.

He was preceded by Barbara, his parents, two sisters and one brother. Jim is survived by brothers Robert (Barney) Camden of Bement and George Camden of Ballwin, MO, sisters Dorcas Ackers and her husband Gary of Decatur, IL, and Edith Dudley and her husband Charles of Oklahoma City, OK, daughter Cindy Totten and husband Tom of Olney, IL, son Curt Camden and wife Ruth of Decatur, IL, grandchildren Ty Totten and Ashley Camden, several nieces and nephews and long time special friend Marge Stallard.