James David Myers, 55, of Burlington died Friday, Nov. 26, 2021.
Jim was born to Norman “Duke” Myers and Anita Beine Myers on Jan. 1, 1966. After graduating from Burlington High School in 1984, he played college basketball at Wayne State in Nebraska, Southeastern Community College, and William Penn College where he graduated in 1988. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1989 and served aboard the USS Cayuga during Desert Shield.
Jim coached at several area schools, including Keokuk Cardinal Stritch, Notre Dame, BHS, and SCC. He became the head coach for the girls’ basketball program at Notre Dame in 2014. He was selected as the Iowa Girls’ Basketball Coaches Association class 4A District Coach of the Year in 2005 while coaching at BHS and was selected again in 2016 as the 1A District Coach of the Year while coaching at Notre Dame. He coached the Notre Dame Nikes in the state tournament for five years in a row, four of those as head coach.
He began his professional career at Young House Family Services where he started ACT Day Treatment and he worked at Burlington High School on the administrative team. He worked in the private industry for RMGD, Physical Therapy Works, and Brockway Mechanical and Roofing before retiring in March of 2021.
Jim volunteered for the American Little League Board, was a coach for Little League, and officiated basketball games and flag football games for the Y. He started the Southeast Iowa Suns basketball team which led to multiple girls’ and boys’ teams at all levels. He coached for Team Iowa, an AAU team out of Cedar Rapids, and held a variety of skills camps for youth throughout southeast Iowa and west central Illinois. He and his wife served as host parents for players on the SCC basketball team during the early 2000s. He announced the BHS football games and the SCC men’s basketball games on KBUR prior to his diagnosis. He recently served on the advisory board for the construction trades department at Southeastern Community College and Southwestern Community College. In September, he was honored for his service to the Associated Builders and Contractors of Iowa Apprenticeship and Training Trust.
Coach Myers is survived by his wife, Monica Mathews Myers; his daughters, Marissa Riffel of Mediapolis, Morgan Myers of Wilson, N.C., and Johanna Myers of Burlington; seven siblings, Michelle Schulte of Burlington, Christine Smith of Keokuk, Joseph Myers, Maureen Behne, Laura Myers, Veronica Royer, all of Burlington, and John Myers of Perth, Australia; and two granddaughters.
Visitation will be held at Prugh-Thielen Funeral Home on Thursday, Dec. 2 where the family will receive friends from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The Rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. Funeral Mass of the Resurrection will be held Friday, Dec. 3 at St. John’s Catholic Church at 11 a.m. Graveside committal will occur in Aspen Grove Cemetery following the service. Memorials have been established for the Des Moines County Humane Society and for graduating seniors at Burlington and Notre Dame High Schools.