James Joseph Gottermeyer

Beloved son, brother, husband, father and friend died peacefully on April 9, 2020. He was born March 1, 1954 to Frances and Thomas Gottermeyer in Covington, Kentucky. He is survived by his wife Mary Kay, daughter Katie Kail (Marty) and son Jim (Lauren) and grandchildren Christian, Therese and Eli Kail, and Clayton and Jackson Gottermeyer. He is survived by sisters Christine, Lorri and Eileen and brother Tom, and was preceded in death by his sister Terri. He also enjoyed the friendship of his many nieces, nephews and in-laws. Jim and Mary Kay met and dated all during their college years at Kent State University and have been married for 42 years. After a career as a business manager with General Electric, Contraves and Centria, Jim served as Business Manager for St. Aloysius Parish and most recently, Director of volunteers for Spark of Hope. With his crew, he rose early in the morning to collect and deliver food to Pittsburgh area homeless shelters and food banks. Jim was a man of faith who enjoyed God's simple blessings in life such as family gatherings, family road trips and a good Thanksgiving stuffing. He was a super dad and number one fan to his son Jimmy who had many wins in soccer, basketball and baseball. He woke up before dawn for years to drive his daughter Katie to morning swimming practice and could always be heard shouting her name above the din at her swim meets. He was eternally grateful for the gift of a transplant in 2007 that extended his life, such that he was able to experience the joys of being a grandfather. He especially loved to make pancakes and buy ice cream "for the grandkids." Through the years, he enjoyed his children's music recitals, his wife's performances with the Pittsburgh Mendelsohn Choir, his oldest grandson's budding attempts at cello and his youngest grandsons' renditions of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Jim acted as a humble servant of the Lord and helped provide home hospice care for his mother-in-law Teresa. He was a kind, calm and optimistic man. He would have been very grateful to the healthcare providers who continued to work to take care of him during his final weeks; and he would want us all to believe during these troubling times that if we rely on our faith and family, we will make a comeback. Burial will be private due to the current pandemic. A Memorial service and celebration of Jim's life will occur at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Spark of Hope program Spark of Hope, St. Sebastian Parish, 311 Siebert Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. Arrangements are being handled by FREYVOGEL-SLATER FUNERAL DIRECTORS. (412-835-1860) Bethel Park www.slaterfuneral.com