Memorial
Jimmy Foxx Crumes, 90, of Vinton, formerly of Ottumwa, Iowa, passed away while in hospice at home on Monday, April 27, 2026. Per Jimmy’s wishes, no services are planned.
Jimmy was born on April 6, 1936, in Ottumwa, son of Lew Crumes and Ruth (Hammersly) Crumes. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1954 and served in Newfoundland during the Korean War era and served in the Army Reserve Iowa Military between 1957-1962. He received an Honorable Discharge on October 31, 1962, and when on to receive his GED through the Veterans Bill in 1975.
Once home, he started working on construction projects in Ottumwa and the company offered him the opportunity to work in Cedar Rapids building a new post office. Then he moved on working on Collin’s expansion on Collins Road Northeast. A few years later he went on to work building the Duane Arnold Energy Plant in Palo, Iowa, and during this project he worked seven days a week and twelve-hour days. It seemed like the only time he got to see family was when the family visited the site during tours of the facility. Starting in 1981, he worked refueling outages of nuclear plants throughout the United States after a few years he qualified as a Radiation Protection technician. After a few years, he decided to take his exam and became a Health Physics technician. He ended his career working at a superfund site in West Chicago working on a superfund cleanup job. Over the years all four kids ended up following his footsteps working in the nuclear industry. Jimmy was very proud of them.
In retirement, he enjoyed watching Westerns, Iowa Hawkeye football and basketball, and developed a love of reading Western books. He had checked out and read every paperback and hardcopy book in the Vinton Library by the end of 2023. The library would let him know when they received four new books, and he would get them immediately.
Survivors include his wife, Henri, son Marty (Desiree) Crumes, daughter Catherine (Timothy) Lord, son Sean (Kimberly) Crumes, daughter in-law Judith Crumes, granddaughter Angela (Josh) Arnold, sister Connie (Myron) Gordin, brother Reggie (Karol) Crumes, along with many nieces and nephews.
Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents, son Joey Jay, grandson Jonathan Crumes, and siblings, Harold Crumes, Madeline Johnson, Margaret Gordin, Marvin Crumes, and Paul Crumes.
Memorials may be directed to any pet rescue of the donor’s choice or a Veteran’s organization.