James 'Jim' E. Fager

PINE RIVER - James Eugene Fager (Jim), 82, passed away Sunday, Dec. 25, 2005, at Whispering Pines Good Samaritan Center in Pine River.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005, at Crosslake Evangelical Free Church (The Log Church). Friends may visit the family before and after the service.

He was born Aug. 20, 1923, in Minneapolis to Carl and Florence (Rust) Fager. He attended school in Bock and Deer River, Minn. He graduated from Deer River High School in 1942. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943. By 1944 he was flying with the 8th Air Force 351st Bomb Group, 509th Squadron. He was a tail gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress. His plane went down in January 1945 over Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge and he was captured by the Germans. He was held prisoner until W.W. II ended in May 1945. He returned home to Minneapolis where he met and married Myrna (Niemi) in 1949. Jim was a journeyman carpenter for over 40 years, doing all his construction in housing and light commercial in Minneapolis.

After retirement in 1985 Jim and Myrna moved to Crosslake. Jim became active in the Lakes Region American Ex-POW group that meets at the Jenkins VFW. He and Myrna also became active members of The Log Church in Crosslake.

Jim is survived by his wife, Myrna; children Susan (Paul) and David. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Robert.

There will be a private family burial at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery at Camp Ripley.

Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers.

Arrangements are with the Halvorson-Johnson Funeral Home in Brainerd.