James J. Dauer

Funeral Mass for James Joseph Dauer, 91, of Aurora, will be 10:30am Friday, May 18, 2018 at Our Lady of Hope Parish in Aurora with Fr. Charles Flynn as celebrant. Visitation will be one hour prior to mass at the church.  Burial with military honors accorded by the Aurora/Hoyt Lakes Color Guard will be in Forest Hill Cemetery in Aurora.  Arrangements by Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora.

Jim died Friday, May 11, 2018 at Chris Jensen Nursing Home in Duluth, MN.

Jim was born March 6, 1927 in Searles, Minnesota to Hugo and Emily (Siefert) Dauer. Jim served in the US Navy from 1942-1946 during WWII. He served aboard the U.S.S. Fleming DE32, U.S.S. Epping Forest, and the U.S.S. Gen. Geo. M. Randall.

Jim met Dorothy while in the Navy in Oregon. They were married September 3, 1949 in Searles.  A short time later they moved to Aurora.  Jim worked at Erie Mining Company and retired from there in 1989 as a maintenance mechanic.

As a youth he was an altar boy and sang in the Catholic Church choir in Searles. In Aurora, he served as an usher and Eucharistic minister.  He was an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing, dark house spearing, and hunting with family and friends. The highlight of his summer was camping with Dorothy and their grandchildren David and Kelly. The highlight of his life was spending time with his son, who in turn was a devoted loving son.  He was a Life Member of the Aurora American Legion Post.

One of his greatest talents and biggest challenge was teaching David and Kelly how to play the harmonica and how to yodel. Jim loved German music, singing and dancing.  He had a quick wit and a great sense of humor.  He was considered to be quite the social butterfly.  Jim was very proud of and very much loved his two great granddaughters and three great grandsons.

Survivors include his son, David (Jessie) Dauer of Cloquet; grandson, David (Kathy) Dauer of Deerwood, MN; granddaughter, Kelly (Sean) Sweeney of Hastings, MN; great granddaughters, Jessica and Samantha Dauer of Minneapolis; great grandsons: Morgan, Jackson and Collin Sweeney of Hastings; many nieces and nephews and his special" younger" best friend and fishing buddy, Virg.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Hugo and Emily; wife, Dorothy; brothers: Florian and Roland; sisters: Aurielia Larson and Gertrude Sonnickson.