James R. Fogel, Sr.

James “Jim” R. Fogel, Sr., 80, of Davenport, Iowa, passed on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at his home with his wife by his side.

Services are 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 17, in the Horizon Room at Trimble Funeral Home at Trimble Pointe, 701 12th Street, Moline. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service. Cremation will take place following services at Trimble Crematory, Moline. In honor of Jim, please dress casually, just as he would have wanted. Memorials may be made to the family.

James Rufus Fogel was born on December 31, 1945, in Manchester, Iowa, the son of Rufus and Blanche (Sheffield) Fogel. He attended grade school in Buffalo, Iowa, before joining his family in working on the farm. He later went on to work for PepsiCo for 38 years, where he made many lasting friendships. After retiring from PepsiCo, Jim worked for the City of Davenport collecting change from parking meters, a job he truly enjoyed.

Jim married the love of his life, Terri Whitebirch, on August 1, 1992, in Davenport, Iowa. Together, they faced every challenge that came their way. Through all his health struggles, Jim never lost his stubborn personality or his smart-ass mouth. He was grateful that his grandson, Thomas Clawson, was always just a phone call away whenever he was needed.

Jim enjoyed fishing, camping, classic cars, working on cars, and attending car shows. He also appreciated a good stripper. He liked building bicycles and even built a tandem bike for Terri’s children when they were young. He enjoyed watching old westerns and the Steve Harvey game show, and he loved classic country music. His favorite song was “Statue of a Fool.” When it came to sweets, he had a particular fondness for circus peanuts and any black licorice.

Jim loved working with wood and spent 17 years attending craft shows with Terri, building and selling things together. He enjoyed Spam, Vienna sausages, summer sausage, and cheese. Years ago, he loved going to bars to watch his friends in the band Fran & the Country Gentlemen play, and he never missed a chance to dance. He also enjoyed doing yard work and looked forward to his weekly card games with Edwin, where they played Spades and poker.

Jim was a good cook who especially enjoyed baking banana bread and making his mother’s Pepsi Cake. Above all, he loved his family and the life he built with them.

Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 34 years, Terri Fogel; children, Christian (Courtney) Fogel, Jim (Kim) Fogel, and Brenda Velasco; step-children, Jeremy Vansickle and Mindy Hernandez; several grandchildren including, Thomas (Ashley) Clawson; several great-grandchildren; sister, Betty Ewing; mother-in-law, Judith Pursely; sister-in-law, Ellen Hotovec; brothers-in-law, Edward Whitebirch and Walter Whitebirch Jr.; step brother-in-law, John Pursley; cousin, James Gleason; and his best friend, Edwin Eveland. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rufus and Blanche Fogel; fathers-in-law, Walter Whitebirch Sr. and Virgil Pursely; and a sister-in-law, Lori Sullivan.

The family invites friends to share stories and condolences at TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.