James Rousselow joined WellBound after his daughter won two free months at a silent auction fundraiser then gifted him her winnings.
James (who also goes by Jim) was excited not just to get more exercise, but also meet new friends. He’d moved to Omaha just a year earlier to be near his daughter after living in eastern Iowa and western Illinois for most of his life. James grew up hunting and fishing around Waterloo, IA then lived 12 years in Moline, IL. His time along the Cedar River was punctuated by four military deployments.
On April 5, 1968 James was drafted and served in Vietnam when he was 19 years old. After Vietnam he joined the National Guard and later the Army Reserve. He was deployed three more times during his military career — Joint Endeavor, Desert Storm, and Iraqi Freedom. His 2004 deployment to Iraq was his last before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2005. Achieving this rank is a point a pride for James as it’s very rare for non-college graduates to become Lt. Col.
Hunting and fishing along the Cedar River and its watering holes has been one of James’s lifelong hobbies. His largest deer was a 12-point buck, but also enjoys training dogs for fowl hunting. Over the years he has trained over 40 dogs, including labs, retrievers, and Irish Setters. His favorite was a Black Lab named Princess. He fondly recalls how once she was trained he didn’t have to train the other dogs because she would let them know what to do!
James also enjoys delivering flowers for Hy-Vee on their busy days—Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and other occasions. He loves seeing the joy that the recipients show when he delivers their beautiful flowers.
James has two children—a daughter who lives in Omaha and a son in Minneapolis. He also has one grandson. Since joining WellBound he’s glad to have met several friends, including those with whom he attends a monthly dinner. But he’s also on the lookout for companionship and love! Ladies, he’s single!