James Halvachs

James L. Halvachs, Sr., 86, of Caseyville, formerly of Decatur died Friday, August 20, 2021. Mass of Christian burial will be 12:00 PM, Thursday, August 26, 2021 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with Father Chris Comerford, celebrant. Visitation will be 10:00 - 12:00, Thursday, at the church. Burial will be at Boiling Springs Cemetery. Memorials in Jim’s honor may be given to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Jim was born on March 1, 1935, in East St Louis, Illinois, the son of the late John B. Halvachs Sr. and Gertrude C (McCormack) Halvachs. He married Mary Pearson on November 17, 1956. She preceded him in death in 1995. Jim enjoyed coaching several baseball teams and softball teams. He served on the board for Northtown Baseball and Khory League. After several years in sales with Crown Toyota, Jim retired from Cohn Furniture in 2008 to spend time with his grandchildren. Through the years, his greatest joy was watching his grandchildren’s sporting events, whether it be softball, baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, or soccer games. He was truly their biggest fan. Surviving are his sons, James Halvachs Jr and his wife Carole of Midland City, AL ; Kenneth Halvachs and his wife Virginia of Fairview Heights; daughter Michelle “Mikki” Travnicek and her husband Chad of Granite City; sister, Dolores “Dee” Hill of Decatur; grandchildren: Ashlee (Benjamin) Sosa, Christopher (Katie) Halvachs, Ken (Johanna Behrens) Halvachs, Sarah (Blake) West, Amy (Ryan) Snow, Logan Shumate, Emilee Travnicek, Alexis Travnicek; great-grandchildren: Braeden, Parker and Matthew Sosa, Zoey Halvachs, Adelyn and Parker West, Dylan and Drake Snow; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, daughter-in-law, Sheree, his parents, and brother John Halvachs Jr.