Submitted by: S. Vanden Bossche
May 17, 1967 - Jan. 9, 2010
MISHAWAKA - Cpl. James J. Szuba, 42, of New Carlisle, IN, passed
away at 9 p.m. Saturday, January 9th, from injuries resulting
from an accident at Fir Road and US #20. Mr. Szuba was a K-9
officer with the Mishawaka Police Department at the time of his
death. He is survived by his loving wife, Debbie (Schelstraete)
Szuba; a daughter, Stephanie E. Szuba, and a son, Joshua J.
Szuba, both of New Carlisle, IN; his mother, Geraldine H. Szuba
of South Bend; two sisters, Rosemary Lancaster of Niles, MI, and
Kathy (Ron) Atkins of Porter, TX; two brothers, Floyd (Cheryl)
Szuba of North Liberty and John (Carol) Szuba of Bremen, IN. Cpl.
Szuba was an outstanding police officer, receiving numerous
awards. He was the firearms instructor for the Mishawaka Police
Dept., a K-9 officer with his beloved German Shepherd
"Ricky," who was also fatally injured in the accident.
Cpl. Szuba comes from a police family: his father, Florian J.
Szuba, retired from the South Bend Police Dept., and his brother,
John Szuba, is a Det./Sgt. with the South Bend Police Dept. Jim
was preceded in death by his father, Florian J. Szuba, on July
29, 2004. He loved fishing, hunting and working in his yard with
his wife planting flowers. Jim was a dedicated family man who
cherished his family as they did him. On his off time, when you
saw Jim, you would see Debbie with him. He was a member of Holy
Family Catholic Church, Mishawaka FOP Lodge #91, and was a
graduate of Marion High School, Class of 1985. The family
request, in lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions
to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas
Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Visitation hours will be from 2 to 8
p.m. Thursday, January 14th, in the Everest Rohrer Arts Chapel
and Auditorium at Bethel College. Funeral services will take
place at 11 a.m. Friday, January 15th, in the Everest Rohrer Arts
Chapel and Auditorium at Bethel College. The HANLEY & Sons
"Southwest Chapel" Funeral Home handled arrangements
and extends its deepest sympathy to the Szuba family and to the
Mishawaka police officers and their families. Published in
South Bend Tribune on January 13, 2010