Obituaries : James J. “Jim” Luensman

James J. "Jim" Luensman, 43, of Atkins, Iowa, died from COVID-19 on Friday, October 30, 2020. A visitation will be held from 5 - 8 p.m. on Wednesday, November 3, 2020, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 4, 2020, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery in Monticello, Iowa. All guests are respectfully requested to wear a mask and practice social distancing. A livestream of the funeral service may be accessed on the funeral home website tribute page for Jim, under "photos and videos or media," starting at 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 4.

Jim was born on December 10, 1976, in Cedar Rapids, the son of Ronald Luensman and Kathy (Howard) Schneider. He graduated from Linn-Mar High School in 1995 and went on to attend Waldorf University. Jim later attended the University of Iowa where he graduated from the paramedic program. He ran the paramedic program at Kirkwood Community College and taught respiratory therapy and nursing. Jim worked for Monticello Ambulance, Area Ambulance Service, North Benton Ambulance, and Atkins First Responders. He was the CRANDIC Railroad yard manager for 10 years. Jim loved fishing with his boys, and watching the Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling program.

Survivors include his mother and father, Kathy and David Schneider of Berthoud, Colorado; the love of his life, Janetta Schmuecker of Atkins; children, Connor Luensman, Landen Schmuecker, and Kobe Schmuecker; siblings, Jennifer (Kevin) Myers of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Jason Schneider of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Jared Schneider of Fort Collins, Colorado; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Jamie and Reg Klocke of Walford, Iowa; sister-in-law, Sara (Doug) Snyder of Elgin, Illinois; brother-in-law, Casey Klocke of Ely, Iowa; nieces and nephews, Carson Snyder, Logan Myers, Penelope Myers, Jaiden Schneider, and Nora Schneider; uncles, Jack Luensman, Tom Luensman, and Don, Jim, Richard, and Dwight Howard; aunt, Janet McFarland; as well as many close cousins, friends, and family in the EMS community.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ronald Luensman.

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