James Wedge

*Updated Service Info*

James Clay Wedge, 89, passed away October 31, 2020.

Jim Wedge, life-long Zumbrota resident has died; white truck for sale. Our dad, a man of few words, thought that would be enough, but his family has more to say.

Born to Niles and Josephine (Clay) Wedge in Zumbrota. He graduated from Zumbrota High School in 1949 and Carleton College in 1953 and remained a patron of Carleton his entire life. After college he enlisted in the US Army. It was the end of the Korean war and he and a friend thought it would be a good time to deploy to that far-away land. Knowing that the top students would be staying Stateside to teach new enlistees, they intentionally missed questions on each test. Despite their best worst efforts, he and his friend remained at the top of their class and never served abroad. Jim married Suzanne Collinge on June 22, 1957 in Zumbrota, a union that lasted 59 years until Sue’s death in 2016. Jim spent his professional career working for the family business, Wedge Lumber Co., and later bought the business with his brother Richard Wedge. Jim was a well-respected businessman, and through the family business and as a skilled draftsman, he helped countless families design their dream home. The lumber yard was sold in 1990 and he remained on staff for several years until he retired. Jim was active in the Boy Scouts earning the Eagle Scout award and spent 2 summers as a guide working for the Charles L Sommers Canoe Base in the BWCA. Jim and Sue enjoyed many summers as a youthful bride and groom camping, hiking, and canoeing in the BWCA and later taking their kids on canoe trips every summer, sharing his love of nature and the great outdoors. Jim was also an avid hunter and fisherman, and loved spending time at the family cabin near Hutchinson, MN. Jim was very active in the Zumbrota community serving on the Hospital Board, the Library Board, the Planning and Zoning Commission, EDA and Star City Commission, and was a volunteer on the Zumbrota Fire Department for 30 years. He was an active volunteer with the Cannon Valley Girl Scout Council and a lifelong member of First Congregational UCC. As a genealogy hobbyist Jim traced his ancestry to a Mayflower passenger, gaining him entry into the General Society of Mayflower Descendants as a 10th generation direct descendant. Jim enjoyed family car vacations to various states, and later in life foreign travel to the English Isles and Europe.

Jim is survived by his three children, Sarah (Dan White) Wedge Maguire, TX, Mary (Mike) Sapp, Zumbrota, Mark (Jen Kodet) Wedge, MN; five grandchildren, Douglas Maguire, NH, Joseph (Nicole) Maguire, MA, Cassie (Ben Nelson) Sapp, MT, Victoria Roiger, NC, and Allison Roiger, MN.; and four great grandchildren, Alexis, Quinn, Ariel and Ares. Also surviving Jim are his sisters-in-law Ruth Wedge, and Sandra (David) Pahl, five nieces and nephews, and many cousins. Jim was preceded in death by his wife Suzanne, parents, brother Richard, and one niece.

Memorial service will be held at 11am on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Zumbrota with Pastor J D Haas officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Zumbrota Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to First Congregational UCC or the Zumbrota Community Trust. The family also requests you take a moment and hug your loved ones, and take a walk in the woods for a moment, an hour, or a day. Time waits for no one.