James L Veevaete

James “Jim” L. Veevaete passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 9, 2021, in Bloomington, Indiana with family by his side at the age of 90.

Jim was born in Mishawaka, IN, on July 9, 1931, to the late Joseph and Tress (Mayhank) Veevaete.  He graduated from Mishawaka High School in 1949 and is a member of the Mishawaka Alumni Association. Jim and his younger brother, Joseph H. Veevaete, joined and proudly served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. Following the death of his brother in Korea in 1953, Jim left the service to attended college at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. At Ball State, played on the Ball State football team, was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity and met the love of his life, Martha (Marty) Daugherty of Muncie Indiana, with whom he would spend the next 60 years. Jim and Marty married in June of 1957 after he graduated from Ball State with a BS in accounting.  Jim was employed in finance with Whirlpool Corporation, Curtiss-Wright Corporation and then General Motors. His work with GM took him to Huntington Woods, Michigan, where he lived until 1975 when he was transferred to Chicago, Illinois. He would work for GM until retiring after 40 years of service as a Regional Manager for GM’s Audit staff.

Jim and family settled in Naperville, Illinois and would spend the next 45 years in the Naperville Community. Jim spent 29 years running the flags as part of the Chain Gang for Naperville North Huskies football team and was a faithful parishioner at Saints Peter and Paul Church. In 2020, he moved to Bloomington, Indiana to be closer to family and lived in Independent Living at Meadowood Retirement Community until his passing.

Jim was a faithful servant of God as a devout Catholic. He was an avid football fan, especially when it came to Notre Dame and the Chicago Bears. He was a marathon runner for many years, completing the Chicago and the Indianapolis Marathons multiple times. In his later life, Jim fell in love with golf and enjoyed playing with the guys until the age of 88.

Jim was a wonderful man, husband, father and grandfather, deeply loved by his family and friends. His integrity was of the highest measure and his loyalty to those he loved was unwavering. He is survived by his daughter, Lisa (Veevaete) Cottone, a 1981 graduate of Naperville North High School and his grandson, Anthony Cottone of Osgood, Indiana.

Jim will be laid to rest in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Mishawaka, Indiana.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to one of Jim’s favorite charities: St. Jude, Wounded Warrior Project, or Loaves and Fishes of Naperville, Illinois.  A mass in his honor would also be appreciated at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mishawaka, Indiana or Saints Peter and Paul in Naperville, Illinois.

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