James Beach Beach Wigdale
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James B. (Jim) Wigdale, affectionally known as "Popi" passed away peacefully at the age of 85 on January 26, 2022 in his beloved hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, surrounded by his five loving children.
Jim was born on August 9, 1936 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He learned to overcome challenges early in life. At the age of eight Jim was briefly paralyzed with polio, and his father Norm passed when Jim was only eleven. Despite these early setbacks, or perhaps because of them, Jim lived his life with a relentlessly positive and optimistic attitude. He always had a twinkle in his eye, smile on his face and "don't sweat the small stuff" philosophy. He had a tireless work ethic and a deep appreciation that every day is a gift. Jim was a true gentleman - a shake of his hand was a promise. He was warm, welcoming, humble, a great listener, and always put people at ease.
Jim attended Milwaukee Country Day for high school and graduated from Stanford University (class of 1959), where he was a center on the football team his freshman year. He accepted honorary degrees from Ripon College, Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Although he achieved many successes in life, Jim would be the first to say that his best decision was the dogged pursuit of the love of his life Libby. The two were inseparable for the better part of seven decades enjoying a 62 year marriage. What a team they were! Back in the day M&I marketed itself as your "strong partner" - Jim and Libby were THE strongest partners!
Popi had a great sense of humor and made every family event a celebration. An annual tradition was the legendary Christmas auction for his 17 grandkids teaching them the value of a "Popi dollar". He loved attending his kids and grandkids sporting events, always watching along the sideline or against the glass.
Popi loved wood burning fires, sunrises on Lake Michigan and sunsets anywhere. He was an avid history buff with a keen interest in World War II. A true patriot, Popi loved the 4th of July, fireworks and marching band music. His passion for Wisconsin football was legendary, as were his tailgates and bloody marys. He never met a salted margarita he didn't like or a vegetable that he did. Popi's hobbies included keeping up with Mumzie on walks, "puttering" in the yard and a good game of squash.
Jim's 42-year career with the "sixth member of the family" (M&I Bank) began in 1961 as an assistant cashier, ultimately working his way to CEO in 1991. He retired as CEO in 2002 and Chairman in 2004. He helped build a culture at M&I that was steeped in business ethics, honesty and integrity. In addition, Jim served on the board of directors at a number of companies, including Green Bay Packaging, Sentry Insurance, Mason Wells, Metavante, and of course, M&I Bank.
Jim's success in business and family is rivaled only by his passionate commitment to making our community a better place. Jim served as Chairman on the board of trustees of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, Chairman of the Medical College of Wisconsin and Columbia St. Mary's, and was a member of the MSOE board of regents. He also served on the boards of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, Children's Hospital Foundation, YMCA and many others. Other honors include being named the 2001 Harvard Business School Club of Wisconsin leader of the year and a 2018 Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame inductee, among others.
Popi is survived by his five children Jay (Laura) Wigdale, Julie (John) Kennedy, Jenny Mahoney, Wendy (Tom) Gebhardt and Blake (Nancy) Wigdale. He was the proud grandfather of 17, including Lindsey (Wade) Buxton, Jack (Hannah), Charlie (Elizabeth) and Ellie Wigdale; Kaitlyn, Will, Ryan and Michael Kennedy; Katie, Charlie and Tommy Mahoney; TJ, Kristen and Drew Gebhardt; and Emily, Abby and Maggie Wigdale; and had 3 great-grandchildren affectionally known as Finny, Woody and ClaireBear. He is survived by his sister Barbie "Gama" Nelson and preceded in death by his brother Norm.
The family greatly appreciates the tender care provided to Popi over the last several years by Kyaila, Natacha, Angela and many others. We would also like to thank the medical teams at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin and Columbia St. Mary's. And a special thank you to the "do it all" man, Sam.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 5th at 3:00 PM at St. Christopher's Church, 7845 N. River Road, River Hills, WI 53217, with a reception to follow. Remote livestream access to Jim's service will be available at JimWigdale.com. For those that are unable to attend, a celebration of life will be scheduled this summer. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials in Jim's name may be made to the Boys & Girls Club of Milwaukee, 1558 N 6th St, Milwaukee, WI 53212, or Medical College of Wisconsin Alzheimer's and Memory Disorder Program, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226.
Feerick Funeral Home in Milwaukee, WI is serving the family, (414)962-8383, www.feerickfuneralhome.com