James (Jim/Jimmy) Korn passed peacefully on July 17, 2025 surrounded by family and friends in the preceding weeks.  Jim was born in Oak Park, Illinois to Lyda and Arthur Korn on April 30, 1938.  He was husband to Judy (Deffert) for 62 years.  Jim was father to Joe and wife Edie (Felsenthal) and grandfather to Maggie and Brian; and he was father to Steve and wife Linda (Wegman), grandfather to Braden and Justen, and step-grandfather to Taylor and Austen Jackson.  He was brother to Kathy and late husband Russ Tomlin, and uncle to Matt and Dan.  He was brother-in-law to Pam (Deffert) and late husband Ken Dean, and uncle to Laura, Debbie and Tim.  Jim was a devoted husband, invested father & grandfather, caring brother, and favorite uncle.

Jim was educated at Oak Park River Forest High School, Miami University (Oxford, OH) where he was a proud member of the Theta Chi fraternity, and Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA) where he earned his PhD in Psychology.  After serving as a professor at Carnegie Mellon and visiting professor at Stanford University, Jim took on the role of Chair of the Psychology Department of St. Louis University and taught there from 1974 to his retirement in 2006.  His career passion was teaching teachers to be better teachers.  He was instrumental in the starting the Reinart Center for Teaching Excellence at St. Louis University where he himself was recognized for his teaching excellence.

Jim was a friend to many along the way from his roots in Oak Park to Oxford to Pittsburgh to Sunnyvale to St. Louis, and ultimately to the move he and Judy made to Friendship Village in Chesterfield, Missouri where he remained very active with Judy, volunteering and spending time with the other residents.

The family is grateful to the fine staff of the Friendship Village care center for their tremendous care of Jim in his final days.  Jim would not have expected or requested donations, but he would have appreciated any contributions made out to the "Employee Appreciation Christmas Fund", Friendship Village, 15201 Olive Boulevard, Chesterfield, MO 63017.

A celebration of Jim's life will be held at a later date; please contact the family for details.

Ortmann Stipanovich Funeral Home
www.osfuneralhomes.com