James ‘Jim’ Mueggenborg

James Mathias Mueggenborg, 89, was born in Kingfisher on April 24, 1931, the third child of Joseph and Teresa (Schaefer) Mueggenborg.

He died in Kingfisher on Dec. 21, 2020.

Jim graduated from Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School and Holy Trinity High School. He attended St. Gregory’s College in Shawnee for one year, hitchhiking back and forth to get to the college.

On Nov. 18, 1952, he married Patricia Ann Rueter of Okarche. They established a home east of Kingfisher, where they engaged in farming and ranching.

Jim and Pat welcomed nine children to their home.

Arriving home with their first child, Jim asked permission from Pat to carry the infant over the threshold, something he was very proud of and an act he repeated as each child was welcomed into the family.

Jim’s greatest delight was his family and he and Pat often had extra children on the farm. The home was always full of children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and friends.

Jim loved to tell stories of his childhood, usually prefaced with, “When I was a little boy...”

These stories usually were exaggerated stories from his early childhood and received with lots of laughter. Many were true, such as his mother frying the chicken feet, as nothing was wasted.

Others were more outrageous, like the summer his dad planted popcorn out by the barn. That summer was so hot that the popcorn popped and covered the field in white.

The donkeys were so dumb, they backed up against the barn and froze to death!

Jim was a devoted and active member of Sts. Peter & Paul Parish. He served as a Eucharistic minister, lector, choir member and served on the board for both the church and the school.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and served as financial secretary for 20 years. He served as county commissioner for District One in Kingfisher for one term. He served on the Kingfisher Co-op Board of Directors from 1979 to 1994.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Patricia in 2011; his brothers, Vernon and Henry; and his sister, Peggy Feuerborn.

He leaves his children, Mary Beth Carter of Oklahoma City, Stephen Mueggenborg and wife Lynda of West Salem, Wisc., Ann Finley and husband Dean of Kingfisher, Joan Brown and husband Don of Chickasha, Susan Donnelly and husband Chris of Tonganoxie, Kan., Jim Mueggenborg and wife Marsha of Kingfisher, Teresa Kadavy and husband Kem of Stillwater, Chris Mueggenborg and wife Tracy of Kingfisher, and Janet Pennington and husband Ron of Kingfisher; 26 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.

Public visitation is 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 26, at Sanders Funeral Service Chapel.

Memorials may be made to Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church or the Knights of Columbus Council #3113 at 309 S. Main, Kingfisher, OK, 73750.