James Alan Ediger was welcomed into God's loving arms and to his heavenly home on September 20, 2023. Jim passed away at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, after a valiant two year battle with multiple myeloma.
James (Jim) was born on New Year's Day to Frank N. Ediger and Esther M. (Frantz) Ediger on January 1, 1947, in Salem General Hospital in Salem, Oregon. He attended Hoover Grade School in Salem, Salem Academy Jr. High and High School, graduating in 1965 . During his high school years, Jim was a member of the Athletic Varsity Club and participated in football, baseball, basketball, and earned athletic letters in football and baseball. He was also voted "most friendly" during his senior year.
Following high school graduation, Jim worked alongside his father for one year building and installing cabinets in new homes in Salem, Oregon. He then spent two years in Laurel, Maryland, volunteering in the recreation department at the Children's Center for the Mennonite Central Committee.
While completing his alternate service in Maryland, Jim met his future wife, Joyce Matthew (Jodi) from Salina, Kansas, who was also serving as a volunteer for the Mennonite Central Committee.
Jim and Jodi were married on August 17, 1968 by Jodi's father, Rev. Glenn Matthew, at Leon United Methodist Church in Leon, Kansas. They were later divorced in 1998.
From 1968 to 1972, Jim attended Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas, graduating in 1972 with an Elementary Education degree. Jim and his family moved to Harveyville, Kansas, where Jim began his classroom teaching career, spanning 30 years, all in the Wabaunsee East USD #330 school district, educating third and fifth graders. During his years of teaching in the district, Jim served as the building representative, association treasurer, and associate president of Wabaunsee East Teachers Association (WETA). He also served on the negotiating committee as well as serving as chief negotiator for WETA. Jim was a member of the Wabaunsee East Teachers Association (WETA), Kansas National Education Association (KNEA), and the National Education Association (NEA). Jim retired from full-time classroom teaching in 2002. Following his retirement from teaching, he worked in Topeka for Commerce Bank and Trust in the mail facility and was recognized with the "Above and Beyond" award given annually by the bank where he was employed until 2005.
In 2005, Jim married Connie (Farrell) Gerstenkorn at Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and moved from Topeka to Olathe, Kansas. Following his move to Olathe, he was employed by the Olathe School District as a Job Coach at the Olathe Advanced Technical Center for 12 years before retiring for a second time in 2018.
Jim was an avid KU Jayhawks basketball fan and a Kansas City Chiefs football fan, rarely missing a TV game when either team played. During his retirement he enjoyed spending time attending his grandchildren's sporting events, traveling, visiting his out-of-state siblings, and attending Southern Gospel music concerts throughout several states, especially following his favorite group, the Blackwood Brothers Quartet.
Preceding Jim in death were his father (1988), his mother (2009), and a brother, Norm Ediger (2020).
Survivors include his wife, Connie Ediger, Gardner, Kansas; his children, Christopher Ediger, Overland Park, Kansas; Lisa (Jimmy) Norman, Topeka, Kansas; step-daughter, Lisa Gerstenkorn (Brian O'Neill), Fort Wayne, Indiana; and step-son, Dan Gerstenkorn (Mary Beth Medford), Shawnee, Kansas; his brother, Howard Ediger (Marge), Bend, Oregon; sister, Judy Sieh (Larry), Morrison, Illinois; sister-in-law, Marty Ediger, Everett, Washington; and his precious grandchildren: Brianna and Jayden Norman, Morgan Ediger, Annabelle and Oliver Gerstenkorn.
Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon (October 2, 2023) at 1:00 P.M. at Mt. Hope Chapel, 4700 SW 17th Street, Topeka, KS. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery.
The family will meet with friends on Monday (October 2, 2023) from 12:00 P.M. until the time of services at Mt. Hope Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established in Jim's name to Southern Gospel Music Association (SGMA) and to Habitat for Humanity and may be left with Campanella & Stewart Funeral Home, P. O. Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.