James Dean Vonderheide

James Dean Vonderheide, 87, of Coal Valley, passed away Sunday July 9, 2023, at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf.

Funeral services will be held 12 p.m. Friday July 14, 2023, at First Evangelical Free Church, 3321 7th Street, Moline. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time at the church. Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd., Moline is assisting the family. The funeral service will be live streamed and a link can be found at the bottom of this page.

-Born June 20, 1936 to Sylvester Jerome Vonderheide and Viola Marie (Paulson) Vonderheide in Underwood, North Dakota.

-Jim’s description of his early life:

Underwood was a small community of about 600.  I was born at the end of the drought and depression.  We were a close family with Christian parents who took time to read to us and to teach us how to live our lives.  They set a good example in all ways.  I recall December 7, 1941 very clearly.  We were at church on Sunday morning when a gentleman came in and announced that Pearl Harbor was bombed and the USA was at war with Japan.  I recall using tokens and stamps to purchase food, fuel and tires due to rationing of these items.  We saved tin cans which were sent off and used in the production of metals for weapons, etc.

-Graduated from Underwood High School in 1954. Studied Business Administration at Minot State University in Minot, ND.  He then attended North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

-He began his employment with John Deere in 1960. He was in Product Engineer doing design and development projects on agricultural tractors, construction equipment tractors and forestry tractors for 5 years. The next 6 years he was in Reliability Division where he was Manager of Reliability Analysis and Quality Engineering and then transferred into Manufacturing Division as Division Superintendent. In 1977 he transferred to John Deere Iberica in Madrid, Spain as Works Manager of the Factory.  Next in 1979 he was Works Manager at John Deere Waterloo Works in Waterloo, IA.  In 1984 he became General Manager of the John Deere Foundry in East Moline, IL.  Then in 1989 he went to Deere & Company in Moline and worked as Manager of the University Relations which set up partnerships with ten major university engineering schools.

Jim retired from Deere & Company in June of 1996 after 36 years of service.

-In 1995 Jim and Bonnie met at First Evangelical Free Church in Moline, IL but had worked in the same building at Deere & Company for 6 years and had never met.  They were married at First Free.

-Jim and Bonnie founded Dead Poet’s Espresso, Ltd. where they enjoyed coffee, chocolates, friends and family.  After 10 years with Dead Poet’s they started a new adventure moving to TN and playing golf.  In 2020 they returned to Illinois where Jim spent his final days with family and friends.

- Survivors include his wife, Bonnie (Stewart); son, Scott Vonderheide, NYC; daughter, Sue (Dave) Hills, Elkhart, IN; grandchildren, Austin, Nicole (Oliver), Nate (Katie); great grandchildren Micah, Luca, Nora, stepdaughter, Tanya (Andrew) Wandrey, Moline, IL; stepson, Travis (Allie) Wells, Chicago, IL; step-grandchildren, Alex, Nolan, Myles, Gideon, Hadley, Penny Mae; Sister Jean (Geno) Kirgiss; Brother-in-law Lonnie Stewart and Dante his beloved faithful companion.

-Proceeded in death by his parents, his brother Jerry Vonderheide and wife Janice (Tweeten) Vonderheide.