James F. "Jim" Skuza

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at St. Mary’s Cathedral Upper Church for James F. “Jim” Skuza, age 92, of St. Cloud, who passed away on Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at the St. Cloud Hospital. Reverend Brady Keller will officiate. Entombment will be in the Assumption Mausoleum.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 and from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service all at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud. Parish prayers will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.

Jim was born on December 15, 1928 to Fred and Anna (Duscha) Skuza in Popple Creek, Minnesota. He grew up on the family farm and moved to St. Cloud as an adult. He was united in marriage to Lorraine “Toots” Plachecki on May 20, 1950 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Cloud. They were blessed with 70 years of marriage and had two children, Richard “Rick” and Deborah “Debbie”. Jim worked as an independent contractor and business owner, alongside his son, Rick, of Skuza Drywall where he performed plaster, stucco and drywall installation for both residential and commercial construction. He was a member of St. Mary’s Cathedral and past member of the Elks and St. Cloud Eagles Aerie #622.

Jim was an avid sportsman and enjoyed going hunting, fishing and camping. He was an expert trap shooter and Captain of the Skuza Drywall Trap Team. Their team enjoyed much success and awards through the years at the Del Tone Trap Range and Albany Gun Club. Jim enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He and Toots enjoyed gatherings at the Fishers Club in Avon where he would have his favorite Walleye dinner. Jim’s family was the love of his life and he enjoyed taking his grandchildren fishing for pan fish dinners at Lake Edward in the Brainerd Lakes Area. The grandchildren growing up always referred to him as “Papa Jim”. In recent years, Jim enjoyed spending time on his John Deere tractor, caring for his well maintained yard and tinkering in his garage.

He is survived by his loving wife, Lorraine; daughter, Debbie (Ron) Mockenhaupt; daughter-in-law, Jackie Skuza; seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents, son, Richard; brother, Lawrence; and sisters Clarice Plachecki and Betty Golembeck.

A special thank you to the staff of the St. Cloud Hospital for their loving and compassionate care of Jim.