Driven by service

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PANAMA — Some people are remembered for their accomplishments; others, for devotion to their neighbors. Jim Kloewer will be remembered for both. 
For decades, he was known in Panama and throughout Shelby County as a businessman, volunteer firefighter, veteran, and community leader, but those who knew him best remember him simply as someone who showed up when he was needed. 
Kloewer, who died March 4 at age 96, lived a life deeply connected to the town he proudly called home, spanning nearly a century in Shelby County. From his childhood in a close-knit farming community to helping build a business which now serves much of the Midwest, his life stayed firmly rooted in the small town he loved.
After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War era and returning home, Kloewer went to work driving truck for a small freight company based in Panama. In 1957, he and his brother, Don Kloewer, took a leap of faith and purchased the business. The company became known as Panama Transfer.
In the early years, the operation was modest. Trucks hauled freight between Omaha and seven small communities across western Iowa, providing an essential service to rural businesses. 
But just a few years after the brothers launched the company, tragedy struck. In 1963, Don Kloewer was killed in an automobile accident. The sudden loss left Jim and his wife, Rita, to carry on the business without Don. 
What could have ended the young company instead became a turning point. Jim and Rita assumed ownership and committed themselves to building the operation their family had started, and over the following decades, Panama Transfer steadily grew from a small local trucking company into a major regional carrier serving customers throughout the Midwest.
Like many transportation companies, Panama Transfer faced challenges during the deregulation of the trucking industry in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Competition increased, and many smaller freight companies disappeared. Panama Transfer also felt the pressure, and the business contracted for several years.  But the Kloewer family adapted.
In 1988, the Kloewer’s son, Dean, took over operational duties while son-in-law, Mark Crall, joined the company to lead sales. Under their leadership, the company began growing again, expanding terminals and increasing service across Iowa and neighboring states. 
Today, Panama Transfer operates a large fleet of tractors and trailers and maintains multiple terminals across the region, but the company takes pride of its growth since the early days of the two brothers and a handful of freight routes.
While the trucking business helped shape Kloewer’s professional life, his commitment to public service defined much of his personal one. In small communities, volunteer roles often overlap, and Kloewer was part of many of them.
He served on the Panama Fire Department for more than six decades, answering calls at all hours and helping protect the community he called home. His involvement extended into local government and education as well. Kloewer served on the Harlan Community School Board for 12 years, was a member of the Panama City Council, and served a term as mayor.
He was also active in the American Legion for more than 70 years, maintaining a lifelong connection to fellow veterans.
Jim and his wife Rita raised six children together, building a large and close-knit family which eventually included dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Faith remained an important part of their lives, and the couple were longtime members of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Panama. Family gatherings, travel, and time spent with grandchildren and great-grandchildren became some of Jim’s favorite moments later in life.
But even in retirement, he remained closely connected to the trucking company which had defined much of his working life. Just like the trucks rolling out of Panama Transfer each day, Jim Kloewer’s influence in Shelby County was constant, dependable, and always moving forward, a testament to the idea that a legacy is not only measured in accomplishments, but in the way a person serves their community.