Jim Zemaitis

Some people sacrifice to serve their country, and some their city. Jim Zemaitis was a man who chose to do both. He followed a family legacy into the armed forces and then into the police force. Born in the aftermath of the deadliest war in history, he became a member of the armed forces to protect the same country that gave his Lithuanian immigrant parents an opportunity to be more than they ever dreamed. When he left military service, he joined the police department to help take care of the city he loved so much. Over the years, life brought much grief and loss his way, but he never faltered in his duty.

World War II was not fought on American soil, so the United States did not experience the same devastation that Europe did. Even so, there was a high and painful cost here. Almost 420,000 American lives were lost in the brutal conflict. Thankfully for Nellie (Zuiraitis) Zemaitis of Grand Rapids, Michigan, her husband Joseph was not one of those lives. He returned home in 1945 to face the recovery of the country alongside her. On September 2, 1946, the couple welcomed their second child, James.

The Zemaitis household would eventually grow to include five children: Rich, Jim, Joe, Tom, and Mary Ann. They lived on the northwest side of Grand Rapids, across the street from Stocking Elementary School, a neighborhood fixture until 2024. The Zemaitis kids spent hours playing ball around the neighborhood and getting into typical mischief with their many friends.

As they got older, the boys became interested in hot rods. They eventually all had one and loved spending time tinkering with them as well as fixing any car they could get their hands on. Their father, Joseph, had a 1954 Pontiac. It had a manual transmission, but he and the boys would change it to an automatic transmission over the weekends so they could take it racing. They ended up in a car crash near Valley Field, later renamed Sullivan Field, the home baseball field of Union High School. The crash put an end to their racing.

Jim graduated from West Catholic High School in 1965. The following year, he enlisted in the United States Air Force along with his older brother Rich. He was first stationed in California and then was transferred to Taiwan. He served as a military policeman as his father had done in World War II. Jim loved his time in the service and frequently reminisced about it.

In 1969, Jim was discharged from the Air Force and again followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the Grand Rapids Police Department, where he went on to serve as a patrol officer for thirty-five years. He did occasionally work with special units, but mostly stayed on patrol. He continued to serve in the Army National Guard during this time.

In 1970, Jim met a woman named Sandy through a mutual friend. She was a nurse in training at Butterworth Hospital, which later became a part of Corewell Health. On one occasion, she needed a ride back to her home up north, and Jim offered to take her. They hit it off and eventually got married. They had a son, Richard, whom they called Rich. Jim was very strict as a father, but he cared about Rich very much. Jim and Sandy divorced in 1983.

A few years later, Jim met Kathy Ende while working at the police department. She was a crime scene technician for the GRPD, gathering evidence and documenting the crime scenes. They married in the late 1980s, and stayed together until Kathy passed away in 2001.

Jim retained his love for working on cars his entire life. It extended to remote-control cars, boats, and helicopters as well. He also enjoyed spending time with his brothers on Lake Michigan, often boating near Holland or Grand Haven. His favorite restaurants were Mr. Burger and Red Lion. Jim retired in 2004 and spent his retirement doing the things he loved.

Jim died on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Even though he endured great loss during his lifetime, he remained stalwart in his duty both to his country and to the city of Grand Rapids. Jim Zemaitis was an example of both sacrifice and service.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife Kathy, his son James C. Zemaitis, and his sister-in-law Kathy Zemaitis. Jim is survived by his son Richard Zemaitis, his granddaughter Harper Zemaitis, his brothers Rich (Vicki), Joe Jr., and Tom (Lorna), and his sister Mary Ann (Nick) Friar, as well as many nieces, nephews, and friends.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 2230 Lake Michigan Dr NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, starting at 11:00 AM. Jim’s family will greet friends from 10:00 am to the start of the funeral at the church. Jim will be laid to rest at Holy Cross cemetery. Memorial contributions in Jim’s honor may be directed to Holy Spirit Catholic Church. To leave a memory or sign Jim’s personal guest book, please visit www.heritagelifestory.com.