James Edward Kauke

Mr. James Edward Kauke, of Cumming, GA, died August 11, 2012 at Emory Downtown Hospital in Atlanta, GA from complications following recent heart surgery. He was 76 years old. Jim was born on October 31, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the son of the Edward John Kauke (1909-1987) and Alma Elizabeth Stocklin Kauke (1912-1987). Following graduation from Lane Tech High School in Chicago in 1953, he attended Wright Jr. College before graduating from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1956. He enlisted in the Army in 1958 and received an honorable discharge in 1959 as Medical Corpsman while stationed at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. He remained in the Reserves until 1964. He married Margaret Schlitz in 1959 in Chicago. A son, Thomas James, was born in 1965 when they were living in Deerfield, Illinois. In 1968, after being transferred to Jacksonville for business, a daughter, Jill Louise, was born. The family was then transferred to Atlanta in 1971 and settled in at their house in Dunwoody where many great friendships were formed. In 1979, the family moved to Cumming, GA and even more friendships were forged. Jim lived there until his death. Marge died in 1999 soon after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Jim retired the following year. Jim had a successful career in sales and as a sales manager in the computer industry for various companies. He loved tennis and his tennis buddies at Spalding Woods Club, as well as golf, jogging, and working in the yard. He also developed a passion for wildflowers in his retirement. He also loved to travel and was very fortunate to have Jean Hale as a wonderful partner and travel-buddy over the past decade. Besides being a special friend, she was also Jim s caregiver through his successful fight against Non-Hodgkin s Lymphoma in 2009 and subsequent health problems. Jim is survived by his son, Tom Kauke; daughter, Jill Kauke Perry; his only sister, Susan Hilton; son-in-law, Bruce Perry, and a granddaughter, Jessica Brendel Perry, whom he heavily spoiled. A Celebration of Jim s life will be held at 3:00 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012 at McDonald and Son Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 12:00 -3:00 pm on August 17 at the funeral home. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home & Crematory, 150 Sawnee Drive, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 886-9899