James Porter Kalsem

James Porter Kalsem, 93, of Ames, Iowa, passed away peacefully at his home on March 9, 2026.

Born on the family homestead in Kelley, Iowa on August 22, 1932, James was the eldest son of Porter and Cleo (Bates) Kalsem. That beginning instilled in him a lifelong love for the Iowa land and the family that tended it. His first job off the farm was driving a milk truck for George Wilson in Kelley, delivering from local dairy farmers to area creameries. George would later become grandfather to James’s daughter-in-law, Shannon.

James enlisted in the United States Air Force during the Korean War era. He trained for two years on every system of the B-29 Superfortress, serving as a Tail Gunner and later as a Crew Chief. He helped transition the fleet from propellers to the jet age, working with F-80, F-84, and F-86 aircraft. After ten years of service, much of it spent at Webb AFB in West Texas and later with the Air Guard in Des Moines, he returned home. For 45 years he worked as a master automobile electrician at Ames Auto Electric, retiring at 65. Even then, he continued working for his friend Rex Baker at Williams Cylinder Head in Nevada well into his 80s. A quiet intellectual and voracious reader, James spent many hours at the ISU Library studying history and mechanics. He was a collector of firearms and Model T memorabilia, an expert on Civil War and World War I history, and an avid metal detector who loved unearthing pieces of the past from Iowa soil.

Above all, James cherished time with his family. He found his greatest joy in simple moments of “visiting,” whether tossing a ball with his sons or sharing deep conversations about how things worked. He shared 60 years of devoted marriage with his wife, Merlie (Foster) Kalsem, building a life of loyalty and steady, quiet love.

He is survived by his sons, Jim (Shannon) Kalsem and Bill Kalsem; his grandson, Porter Lee Kalsem; and his sister, June Squire. He was preceded in death by his wife, Merlie, in 2022; his parents; and his siblings Johnny Kalsem, Becky Gator, Marge Muench, and Roger Kalsem.