Jim A. "Jocko" Kaiser

All who knew Jim A. “Jocko” Kaiser would agree that he was a man of great honor, integrity, and compassion for others. He was kind but firm, and it was easy to see that he was passionate about the people and things he believed in. A loving husband and father, Jim was thrilled beyond measure to witness his family tree blossom to include the grandchildren who filled his heart with joy. He always made sure the grandkids were having fun, from ice cream runs to pop up road trips and time spent with his friends at the daily coffee gathering, he loved having them. A longtime resident of the community he loved, he was the sort of person who never met a stranger. Life will never be the same without Jim here, but he leaves behind a timeless legacy that his loved ones will proudly carry on in his footsteps.

During the first half of the 1940s, the eyes of our nation were focused overseas as countless young servicemen and women were deeply entrenched in the perils of WWII. With the end of the war in 1945 there was celebrating in the streets, and America spent the following few years adjusting to being a nation at peace once again. It was during this time of transition that Edward and Shirley Kaiser, Sr. were eagerly awaiting the birth of their new baby as the remaining days of the summer in August of 1949 came into view. Their wait was over when the baby boy they named Jim A. drew his first breath on August 7th. Born in Pontiac, Michigan, he was one of two boys in the Kaiser family as he was raised alongside his brother, Ed.

In many ways Jim was a young boy of his generation. His father worked at County Line Cheese in Auburn, Indiana, and later took a job at General Electric in Fort Wayne. They moved to Auburn, Indiana, from Pontiac in 1957 when Jim was eight years old so his father could work at County Line Cheese. Jim’s mother was a busy homemaker. While growing up he played Little League baseball on the Elks team, and Jim was also a Boy Scout. He always looked forward to visiting Joe the barber to get his hair cut. Jim graduated from DeKalb High School in 1968 as part of the first class to graduate from the new school. As someone who liked fast cars, he bought a brand new 1969  Camaro SSRS that was hugger orange with a black interior in 1969. It was a day to remember when he was able to drive it out of the showroom himself.

Dedicated to serving his community, Jim joined the Auburn Police Department as a reserve officer  in 1974. A year later he became a dispatch officer and then in 1978 his dream was fulfilled as he became a patrol officer. Jim spent his entire career with the Auburn Police Department, working third shift. He loved the police department and being a police officer as he believed in the importance of serving others.

Not to be forgotten during his years as a young man was Jim’s introduction to the woman of his dreams. Her name was Deb, and they met on a blind date. It wasn’t too long before the couple found themselves deeply in love. With a desire to establish a life together Jim and Deb were married in Muncie, Indiana. Together they welcomed three children including Heather, Amanda, and Nick into their hearts and home. Jim was a loving and devoted father who enjoyed being with his family. Some of their favorite memories were made on vacations to Dauphin Island, Alabama, and in Cherokee, North Carolina. Jim enjoyed hosting people at his old home on Main Street to watch the Auburn, Cord & Duesenberg parade and grilling food for everyone. They all always had a great time despite the fact that he was horrible at grilling!

After his retirement from the police department in 1996 Jim still wanted to serve others. He went to work at Youth for Christ from 1996 through 2012 as he wanted to make a difference in the lives of others at a young age. He developed FAST START for boys at risk at Youth for Christ, changing the course of the lives of so many in the process. For several years, Jim was a member of Saint Andrew Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Auburn. In his free time, Jim enjoyed combining his favorite things: cookouts, gatherings with food involved, and spending time outside. In addition, he enjoyed fishing, tinkering, antiques, coin collecting, man trips, and going to the movies with his good friend, Ron. Of course he never met ice cream he didn’t like, either.

When reflecting on the life of Jim A. “Jocko” Kaiser, it is easy to see that he lived his life with others in mind. It has been said that he had the worst poker face ever as he couldn’t lie to save his life. Jim always wore shirts with pockets in them and had a little note pad to write things down, which are just a couple of things that made him unique. He made a significant impact in the lives of those too numerous to count. Jim will be forever missed by all who were blessed to know and love him.

Jim A. “Jocko” Kaiser, of Auburn, died Friday, October 14, 2016, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne. Jim’s family includes his wife, Deb Kaiser of Auburn; daughters and sons-in-law, Heather and Damon Barth of Huntertown, IN and Amanda and Jeremy Johnson of Frankton, IN; a son and daughter-in-law, Nick and Kim Kaiser of Auburn; brother, Ed Kaiser, Jr. of Auburn; grandchildren, Emma Barth, Bo Bailey, Sara Bailey and Kaleb Kaiser. Funeral services will be held Tuesday 11:00 a.m. with visitation one hour prior at Pinnington Funeral & Cremation Services 502 N. Main Street, Auburn. Visitation will also be held on Monday from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be held in Woodlawn Cemetery, Auburn. Memorial donations may be made to the Auburn Police Department Benevolent Fund. To sign the online guest registry or to leave the Kaiser family a message of condolence, visit www.pinningtonfh.com.