James "Jim" Matthew Kobe

Jim Kobe, 90, of Bemidji, MN died Sunday, October 3, 2021, at Sanford Health Trillium at Woodsedge, Bemidji.

Memorial Services will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, October 8, 2021 at Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home, Bemidji, with Deacon Kermit Erickson presiding with a visitation one hour prior to the service.  Inurnment will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Bemidji.

James Matthew Kobe was born October 27, 1930, in Grand Forks, ND to AA Kobe & Carrie Hanson.  He attended Ardock School until 10th grade in North Dakota and then moved with his family to Bemidji where he graduated from Bemidji High School in 1948.  Jim worked for Gary Oil Company after high school and then Dunham’s Box Factory.  In 1950, he went to work for the Alaska Road Commission where he cooked for the men.  He then enlisted in the US Air Force and was stationed in Texas, Mississippi and Cheyenne, Wyoming and would be honorably discharged after four years.  He returned to Bemidji and went back to work for Gary Oil Company he worked for a total of 30 years before going to work for Northwoods Panel Board in 1980 and would work there for 15 years.  After six years of retirement, Jim went back to work for Target in 2001.  Jim enjoyed car racing and was talented to build his own race cars and would compete at area racetracks in Winnipeg, Jamestown, Grand Forks, Bemidji, Hallock, Warren and Glyndon.  Jim stopped racing in 1981.  On November 6, 1965, Jim married Delores “Toddy” Geror at St. Philip’s Catholic Church in Bemidji.  Jim & Toddy were members of the Fargo Chapter of the Harley Davidson Owner’s Group and would hold annual fish frys at their home for 18 years. Jim’s Harley was donated to the Harley Archives & Museum in Milwaukee, WI in 1998 after he had owned it for 50 years and 1 month.  Jim enjoyed attending Harley owner group rallies in various states especially in Sturgis, SD, and the Bear Tooth Pass in Montana.  He also enjoyed NASCAR and dancing.

He is survived by a brother, Raymond; son, Dwayne (Kathy) Dreyer; daughter, Kim (Marty) Priem; grandchildren, Benjamin Truman, Miriana Bastie, Jason Roth, Airens Roth, and Desiree Dreyer; great-granddaughter, Arianna.  He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Baby Kobe, Ervin, Frederick; sisters, Florence Kobe, Alice Grigle, Ruth Dietz and Mary Green; daughter, Pam Kobe; grandson, Christopher Dreyer.

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