James Francis Burg

James F. Burg, 86, died on July 23, 2019 at The Kathy Hospice in West Bend, Wisconsin.  Born in Monches, Wisconsin on October 4, 1932, Jim was the second child of Wilfred T. and Margaret F. Burg, née Thorn.  Jim’s ancestors were Germans who settled in an Irish enclave; in 1868, Jim’s grandfather acquired the town mill.

Jim graduated from Hartford High School in 1950 then entered the US Navy in 1951.  He served onboard USS Frank Knox (DDR-742), a radar picket vessel that was part of Destroyer Division 112 of the United States Seventh Fleet.  Ship operations during the Korean War included coastal bombardments and rescue missions.  After the war, Jim’s ship took part in filming The Bridges of Toko-Ri (1954) and escorted a convoy of thousands of Chinese former POWs from Inchon, South Korea to asylum in Keelung City, Taiwan.  Jim and his family took great pride in his service and in Jim’s photo being placed in the “These Are Our Heroes” wartime window mural at Leach & Christenson in Hartford.

After leaving the Navy in 1955 as a petty officer third class and the Naval Reserve in 1959, Jim worked as an industrial engineer for the Chrysler Outboard Corporation in Hartford, remaining with the company until after the plant’s closure.  He greatly enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Jim is survived by his brother, Donald E. (Jeanette) Burg, Slinger, Wisconsin; six nephews—Mark (Diana) Cypher, Slinger, Wisconsin; Steven Cypher, Hartford, Wisconsin; Timothy (Laurie) Cypher, Spartanburg, South Carolina; Jeffrey (Theresa) Cypher, Kalamazoo, Michigan; James (Kris) Cypher, Idaho Falls, Idaho; and Dr. Robert W. Burg, Slinger, Wisconsin.  He is further survived by other relatives and friends.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Jean; his brother-in-law, Anthony Cypher; his niece, Sharron (Steven) Cypher; and his beloved aunt, Clara Thorn.

Visitation is on Monday, July 29 at Saint Kilian Catholic Church, 264 W. State Street, Hartford, WI from 10:00a.m to 11:00a.m.  Mass of Resurrection at the church will follow at 11:00a.m.  Memorials in Jim’s name can be made to St. Kilian Parish.  Interment will be at Saint Kilian Cemetery (Old). The Berndt-Ledesma Funeral Home–Hartford is serving the family. 

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