Memorial
James Robert Shanklin, 83, passed away peacefully on August 31, 2020.
Jim was born March 2, 1937, in Abingdon, Virginia. His family moved to Cedar Rapids in 1947. Jim was a graduate of McKinley High School and The University of Iowa. He was a long-time employee of Rockwell Collins and took great pride in his work on the Apollo Project. However his greatest pride was his family, and he took early retirement to travel with his wife and be a part of his grandchildren’s lives.
Discovering family genealogy was very important to Jim and allowed him to visit homes of his great, great ancestors and learn their unique, personal life-stories. This passion drove Jim to chronicle his family history authoring the book, “Leading Antenna Engineer John Pack Shanklin.”
For 73 years Jim attended Westminster Presbyterian Church where he was an Elder and on several committees. He was a member of Mt. Hermon Lodge #263 and Malta Chapter of Eastern Star, served as an adult advisor for the International Order of Rainbow for Girls, and in various leadership roles for the Boy Scouts of America. In retirement, he served as El Kahir Shrine Circus chairman.
Despite his battle with Parkinson’s, Jim remained active in preserving the history of Collins Radio and his father’s legacy. Jim authored “Collins Role in Space Communications” and was featured in The Collins Story Connecting the Moon to Earth movies. He was an avid fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents John & Helen, John (brother), Mary Helen(sister), Mary Catherine (daughter) and Melissa Adam (granddaughter). Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Cheryl (Fawley) Cedar Rapids; children Cheryl (Steve) Adam, Jim (Jennie) Shanklin Jr., and Trisha (Nate) Smith and eight grandchildren: Joshua, Anece and son Harrison Adam, Jared, Kelsey and Baby Adam, Sara Adam, Brianna Adam, Matt and Kelsey Shanklin, Nick and Lily Rhodes Shanklin, Cassie Smith and Ally Smith. Also cherished by Jim were many family pets.
Public visitation will be on Saturday, September 5, 2020, from 1-2:30 pm at Cedar Memorial East Chapel immediately followed by a private funeral service for the immediate family with Masonic rites. As mandated by proclamation, social distancing must be practiced which requires a limited number of people to be allowed into the visitation at one time.
A livestream of the private family service can be viewed at 2:30 pm Saturday, September 5, 2020 at https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/71947530.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Camp Courageous of Iowa, El Kahir Shrine Transportation Fund, or Westminster Presbyterian Church.