James "Jim" Brecheisen

James “Jim” Brecheisen of Petoskey, passed away peacefully while surrounded by his family on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

Jim was born on January 6, 1944 in Petoskey, MI, the son of Olin and Faith (Hyatt) Brecheisen and was raised in Petoskey, graduating from Petoskey High School with the Class of 1962.  In October of that same year, Jim entered the US Army and proudly served his country as a Paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne, being stationed at Fort Knox, Fort Dix and in Wiesbaden, Germany.   After returning from Germany, Jim worked in construction, at Pet Gas and eventually Michigan consolidated gas. Jim met Peggy's dad Pete through work at Pet Gas.  He introduced Jim to his daughter and they were married a few years later on December 7, 1968.  They made their home and began their family in Petoskey. He enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, fast pitch softball and shared his love for sports with his kids. He was a man of faith and always willing to lend a helping hand when friends or family were in need. He taught his kids to work hard & do the right thing even when it can be tough. He was a service man at Mich Con for 28 years until forced into retirement due to health complications. After suffering with his heart condition for years, he was a candidate for a heart transplant at UofM Hospital in 2011, receiving his true gift of life. We are beyond grateful for the 15 bonus birthdays, meeting his grandchildren, hundreds of sporting events, numerous graduation parties, weddings, etc.. He cherished his gift and never took it for granted. A true token to his legacy.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Peggy; 3 children, Jill (Rick) Brecheisen, Amy (David) Anderson, and Jason (Jessica) Brecheisen; 3 grandsons, Caiden, Easton, and Grayson Brecheisen; a sister, Wanda Morrison; and by many nieces and nephews.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Olin and Faith Brecheisen; his mother and father-in-law, Pete and Vera Huzek; 2 sisters and brothers-in-law, Glenna and Larry Sipe & Leone and Louie Plevinski; brother, John D Brecheisen, 2 brother-in-law, Ralph Morrison and Dave Huzek; and by 3 nieces, Barb Ricketts, Robin Kuhn, and Regina Plevinski.

The family will receive friends at the Stone Funeral Home on Thursday, April 16th from 6pm to 8pm and again on Friday, April 17th from 10am to 11am.  A service celebrating Jim’s life will immediately follow the visitation on Friday at 11am.  Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery immediately after the service.

Those wishing to honor Jim’s memory are asked to make a donation to the Northern Michigan Cancer Crusaders.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James "Jim" Brecheisen, please visit our floral store.