James C. “Jim” Searls, 92, of Iowa City, died Sunday, August 26, 2018 at his home.
Born August 22, 1926 in Mitchell, South Dakota, the son of Cluett “C.C.” and Leona (Collier) Searls, Jim grew up in Postville, Iowa, graduating from Postville High School. After high school, he worked for the Milwaukee Railroad before entering the US Army serving as a sergeant in the Western Pacific Command, during WWII on Okinawa. Following his discharge from the military, Jim married his longtime sweetheart, Mary Eberling, December 22, 1947 in Evanston, Illinois.
Jim later received his BS degree from Cornell College, where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. After his graduation from Cornell in 1950, he attended the University of Iowa where he received his D.D.S. He then moved his young family to Grinnell, Iowa, where he practiced dentistry for the next seven years. In 1962, he returned to Iowa city, where he received his PhD in Anatomy from the University of Iowa and joined the faculties in the colleges of Dentistry and Medicine.
Jim is survived by his wife of over 70 years, Mary; children, Trish Campanelli (Joe) of Iowa City, Jim Searls (Carol) of Iowa City, Tom Searls (Dan Mears) of Iowa City and Bill Searls of Coralville and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.