James C. Samuel, 65, of Austin, Minnesota, died Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin.

James Covert was born April 23, 1951, in Austin, Minnesota, to Harold and Naida (Bye) Samuel. Jim attended Austin Public Schools, and graduated from Austin High School with the Class of 1969. He went on to study at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota, and Riverland Community College in Austin. In 1970 Jim began a long career with the City of Austin’s Waste Water Treatment Facility. On Aug. 8, 1975, he was united in marriage to Cynthia Marie Heiny at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Austin. Jim and Cindy raised their son Andrew, and have resided in Austin their entire married life. In 2013, Jim retired as Superintendent of the Waste Water Treatment Facility in Austin after 43 years of service. Jim had many interests and hobbies which included fishing, reading, golfing, bowling, hiking, time spent with his faithful dog Maggie, and bicycling with the FROGS. He loved the annual family vacations to Clearwater Lake in Deerwood, Minnesota, and traveling with Cindy throughout the United States and abroad. Jim was a devoted son and treasured the very special relationship he had with his mother Naida.

Jim is survived by his wife, Cindy of Austin; his son, Andrew C. Samuel and Pamela Fong of San Francisco, California; his mother, Naida Samuel of Austin; sisters, Debbie (Bob) Waldron of Madison Lake, Minnesota, Linda (Frank) Carpenter of Buena Vista, Colorado; nieces and nephews, Greg (Judit) Bundy of Budapest, Hungary, Trace (Becca) Bundy of Lewisville, Colorado, Samantha (Josh) South of New Ulm, Minnesota, Zac (Sarah) Heiny of Lauderdale, Minnesota, Adam (Jen) Heiny of Ft. Bragg, North Carolina; great-nieces and nephews; and brothers-in-law, Thomas (Barb) Heiny of Austin and Robert Heiny of Austin. He was preceded in death by his father, Harold C. Samuel; infant twin brother and sister; paternal and maternal grandparents; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Sidney M. and Eileen A. (Hoff) Heiny; aunts and uncles; and other extended family members.

Memorial services will be held at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, at Worlein Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Nancy Hansen officiating. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, at Worlein Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Interment will be in Cedar City Cemetery in rural Austin.

Memorials in Jim’s memory may be directed to The Hormel Institute (www.hi.umn.edu). Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.