Respected Barry County coroner, funeral director dies
July 1, 2020
Jim Fohn, Barry County Coroner and director of Fohn Funeral Home, died Monday.
Sheila Harris
Barry County lost a favorite son Monday, June 29, with the passing of Jim Fohn, long-time Cassville funeral director and county coroner.
I met Mr. Fohn for the first (and only) time three months ago when he summoned me to his office to hash over a story idea. Not far into the conversation, I ascertained Jim Fohn might fit the description of “a colorful character,” something the rest of you probably already knew. I looked forward to getting to know him better. It was obvious to me that, given his line of work, he’d be a great resource for questions I might sometimes have, not to mention the stories I was sure he could tell. I thought I’d have lots of time in the future to pick his brain. Later, I thought, after I learned my job a little better, and the dust from COVID-19 settled down. I waited too long, though. I’m saddened.
Exeter resident, Kerry Mattingly, who worked for Jim part-time at Fohn Funeral Home while she was going to college, says Jim was “a great man.”
“Jim was kind, but firm, and expected nothing less than the best,” she said. “He had compassion for the citizens of Barry County and made an impact on a lot of people. His generosity often went without a word said, and he liked it that way.”
Many are the Barry County families who’ve been the beneficiaries of the slow-roasted meats from Jim’s smoker.
“He had the smoker going every day,” his wife Janice disclosed. “It was something he really enjoyed doing. We have a lot of freezers. They’re filled with beef he roasted and sliced in preparation for serving at the family dinners of the deceased.
“Once in a while,” she added, laughing, “if someone was lucky, they would get beef smoked the same day.”
Jim Fohn’s penchant for smoking meats became so well known it caught the attention of Jay Leno, who featured a clip showing Jim and Janice holding up a poster advertising donated meat, with the “Fohn Funeral Home” sign in the background.
According to Janice Fohn, she and Jim had been married for 50 years.
The couple moved to Barry County from Kirksville in 1990, where he had served as coroner for Adair County.
“Jim got his start in the funeral business in Lebanon - the town where he grew up - when he was 15 years old,” she said. “He washed cars for Shadel’s Colonial Chapel, a funeral home that’s still in business.”
Barry County deputy coroner, Gary Swearingen, who worked closely with Fohn, said Jim loved joking around.
“Every day was an adventure,” he said.
Gary’s son, Caden, indicated he could always count on Jim when he was in FFA.
“Jim always bought whatever I was selling,” he said, a fact not surprising to those who knew him.
Jim Fohn will be sorely missed by residents in the county. His shoes will be difficult to fill.
According to Barry County Clerk, Jill LeCompte, who spoke with the Secretary of State, Jim’s open position will be voted on in the November general election, after the central committee from each party selects a candidate to appear on the ballot.
Barry County lost a favorite son Monday, June 29, with the passing of Jim Fohn, long-time Cassville funeral director and county coroner.
I met Mr. Fohn for the first (and only) time three months ago when he summoned me to his office to hash over a story idea. Not far into the conversation, I ascertained Jim Fohn might fit the description of “a colorful character,” something the rest of you probably already knew. I looked forward to getting to know him better. It was obvious to me that, given his line of work, he’d be a great resource for questions I might sometimes have, not to mention the stories I was sure he could tell. I thought I’d have lots of time in the future to pick his brain. Later, I thought, after I learned my job a little better, and the dust from COVID-19 settled down. I waited too long, though. I’m saddened.
Exeter resident, Kerry Mattingly, who worked for Jim part-time at Fohn Funeral Home while she was going to college, says Jim was “a great man.”
“Jim was kind, but firm, and expected nothing less than the best,” she said. “He had compassion for the citizens of Barry County and made an impact on a lot of people. His generosity often went without a word said, and he liked it that way.”
Many are the Barry County families who’ve been the beneficiaries of the slow-roasted meats from Jim’s smoker.
“He had the smoker going every day,” his wife Janice disclosed. “It was something he really enjoyed doing. We have a lot of freezers. They’re filled with beef he roasted and sliced in preparation for serving at the family dinners of the deceased.
“Once in a while,” she added, laughing, “if someone was lucky, they would get beef smoked the same day.”
Jim Fohn’s penchant for smoking meats became so well known it caught the attention of Jay Leno, who featured a clip showing Jim and Janice holding up a poster advertising donated meat, with the “Fohn Funeral Home” sign in the background.
According to Janice Fohn, she and Jim had been married for 50 years.
The couple moved to Barry County from Kirksville in 1990, where he had served as coroner for Adair County.
“Jim got his start in the funeral business in Lebanon - the town where he grew up - when he was 15 years old,” she said. “He washed cars for Shadel’s Colonial Chapel, a funeral home that’s still in business.”
Barry County deputy coroner, Gary Swearingen, who worked closely with Fohn, said Jim loved joking around.
“Every day was an adventure,” he said.
Gary’s son, Caden, indicated he could always count on Jim when he was in FFA.
“Jim always bought whatever I was selling,” he said, a fact not surprising to those who knew him.
Jim Fohn will be sorely missed by residents in the county. His shoes will be difficult to fill.
According to Barry County Clerk, Jill LeCompte, who spoke with the Secretary of State, Jim’s open position will be voted on in the November general election, after the central committee from each party selects a candidate to appear on the ballot.
