Jim Jung

James “Jim” Jung, 92, Browns Valley, MN, passed away Sunday, March 8, 2026, in his home.

Funeral Mass will be Saturday, March 14, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Browns Valley officiated by Father John Paul Knopik. Music will be provided by Carmen Hills, Jill Spindler, Todd Johnson, Mike Hansen, Gregg Christensen, Sawyer Huff, Joe Varpness, Lee Varpness, Keith Falken, Del Sarlette, Todd Nadgwick, and Jan LeClair.

Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery, Browns Valley. Honorary urn bearers will be Jim’s grandchildren.

Visitation will be Friday, March 13, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the church. A Rosary Service will follow at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue Saturday morning one hour prior to the service at the church.

James Walter Jung was born February 23, 1934, in Minneapolis, to Clarence and Florence (Brick) Jung. Shortly after, the family moved to Perham, MN. One night at a concert the band played the “National Emblem March.” Jim, as a little child, went wild with excitement, and his love for music was born. In second grade, Jim’s grandfather gave him his first trumpet and first and only lesson and off he went.

Jim also lived in Fergus Falls, MN, for a short time and in 1943 the family settled in St. Cloud, MN. It was in St. Cloud Jim started playing bugle calls for the raising and lowering of the flag during World War II and “Taps” for funerals. During this time, he served as an altar boy for daily Mass at the Cathedral and became an Eagle Scout. Jim graduated from Cathedral High School in St. Cloud in May 1952.

After graduation, Jim and his parents purchased the Valley Telephone Company in Browns Valley, MN. Jim eventually took over the Telephone Company when his parents retired.

Through the love of music, Jim met Norma Harker and on November 26, 1955, they were married in the Catholic Church in St. Wendel, MN. They were blessed with six girls.

Faith, family and fun were always important to Jim, and he instilled that into his girls. Jim sang, directed or played in the St. Anthony’s Choir from the time he moved to town, and as soon as his girls could read they joined the choir as well. He loved taking his family on camping adventures. Jim loved to swim and quite often would wake everyone up for an early morning or midnight swim. Music was always playing at the Jung house, especially Jazz.

Throughout the years Jim was always looking for new projects and ideas. With the help of friends, the J-House restaurant was opened. He was also on the ground floor of Cable TV in the area and Cellular 2000. Jim was always involved in the community. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, on the board of directors of the Valley Health Care Center, on the board of West Central Initiative Fund, served on the school board, and was a member/president of Town and Country Club.

Jim played in many bands around the area. In 1954 he started playing with the Tri-State Band and in August 2025 played his last solo, "Sugar Blues” with them. Jim met Doug Garberick in 1954 and together they founded the “Jimmy Douglas Orchestra.” In 1965, in honor of Browns Valley’s 100th anniversary, Jim started the Browns Valley Centennial Band which continues still today.

Jim loved traveling with his family and friends. Some of the exciting places Jim and Norma went to were Kauai, HI, South Africa, Australia, Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

Jim had a great love for the outdoors. He loved to fish and hunt and built a cabin in the woods near Wadena, MN, where he shared many happy times with his family and friends. He went on many hunting and fishing expeditions during his lifetime.

Jim is survived by his wife of 70 years Norma; brother Tom Jung (Jean Duffield); his daughters Andrea Jung Marschall, Lynn Hodny (Joe), Teresa Appel (Jack), and Sue Varpness (Lee); sons-in-law Jeff Thorne and Todd Marschall; 14 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his daughters Gina Thorne and Laura Jung-Marschall; grandson Shawn Thorne; parents Clarence and Florence Jung; sister Patricia Reinholz; brother-in-law Robert Reinholz; mother and father-in-law Ray and Alta Harker; sister-in-law Louise Langness; and son-in-law Michael Marschall.