James "Jim" Greenwood

James “Jim” Greenwood, age 88, of Cottage Grove, passed away on November 14, 2022. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 am, Tuesday, November 22, 2022 with visitation one hour prior at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 920 Holley Ave., St. Paul Park, MN 55071. Private interment Ft. Snelling National Cemetery. 

On November 14^th, 2022, our dad, Jim Greenwood, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family.  He was 88 years young and packed every one of those years full of laughter and life.  He will always be missed and hold a special place in our hearts.

Jim came from humble beginnings.  He was born on May 10^th, 1934, to William and Beulah Greenwood. He grew up on the east side of Des Moines where he known as quite the prankster: always ready for a laugh and a good time with friends and family.  He was the tall, skinny neighborhood kid with a ready grin and twinkle in his eye.  Jim had a very strong work ethic.  He believed that if you worked hard, you could accomplish anything, and he carried that belief with him through his entire life.  He proudly served our country in the U.S. Army and worked diligently to provide a life for his family.  He worked his way up from a humble paper boy and farm hand to an electrical lineman and finally to an International Union Representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.  He was a proud member of the I.B.E.W for 68 years.  He took pride in all that he accomplished in his lifetime, and as a family we are honored and grateful for all he provided.  

During his years working as a farm hand, Jim met the love of his life, Delores Grossman at the Lincoln Club in Carol, Iowa.  Together with a group of friends they went out for a night of dancing at the Starline Ballroom and the rest is history.  Until the day she died, Jim always said that he was the luckiest man alive to have found her.  Jim and Delores were married on July 17^th, 1954.  They were blessed with five children and their home was always a welcome setting for their family and friends.   

Jim and Dee loved to travel.  They took their kids on many family vacations around the US. When Jim retired, they traveled extensively and discovered their love of Bradenton, Florida where their entire family experienced years of amazing vacations.  

Jim was a larger-than-life character.  When he walked into a room, with his deep voice and his quick wit, he put everyone at ease.  He was a storyteller and a poet and always had a joke up his sleeve. He is preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Delores; parents; and sister, Beverly Inman. He is survived by his children, Cyndi (Brian) Peterson, Karen (Randy) Couey, Kristi (Felix) Kerawala, Craig (Judy) Greenwood and Steven Greenwood (partner, Teresa Green); 14 grandkids; brother, Gene (Sue) Greenwood; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. It’s hard to imagine a world without Jim in it, but our memories of him and his jokes will always live on.    

LIVESTREAM INFORMATION: For those who would like to participate in Jim's service via livestream, you can watch the service on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 10:30 AM (CT). It can be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of this page, and "CLICK PLAY" to begin. Please leave a message of support on our Tribute Wall to let the family know you were able to watch the service. If you are having troubles with the Livestream, the service will be available to watch later in the day.