James Walter Ertelt, 83, passed away on September 14, 2026 in Rochester, MN.

James was born May 16, 1943 in Valley City, ND to Joseph and Loretta (Schwehr) Ertelt. James grew up on a farm by Fingal, ND. He graduated from high school in 1961. He married Nicol LeBien in August of 1968 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. They have a son, Jayson James, who lives in Richmond, CA.

James served in the US Army from 1964 until 1966, with one year of that time spent serving in Vietnam with the 1st Infantry Division, THE BIG RED ONE.

Jim was employed by Kahler Corp. for 25 years in the culinary field where he worked his way up the ladder. Jim started as a cook, then a working chef, and then on to Executive chef of the Kahler Hotel. The last five years, he spent as a Corporate Chef. He left Kahler in 1985 to work as a corporate chef for a Texas hotel chain. In 2006, Jim retired from the culinary field.

Throughout his career he believed in keeping up with new trends in the food industry by taking advanced culinary training courses at the Culinary Institute of America in NY. Jim also trained in five different hotels in London, England and he was a member of the American Culinary Federation and was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs. Jim was also a member of the VFW, Golden K Kiwanis, American Legion and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

Jim enjoyed fishing, riding his Harley, driving his GT 6 MK3 Triumph, visiting with their son and traveling with his wife.

Jim is survived by his wife, son and three sisters, Delores Cline of Mountlake Terrace, WA, Janice Venaas of Mesa, AZ and Georgina Borman of Long Beach, CA.

Burial will be held at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, MN at 2:00 p.m. Friday, October 9, 2026. Online condolences may be left for the family by visiting www.mackenfuneralhome.com