James Gelo, age 76, of Hopkins, Minnesota and formerly of River Falls, Wisconsin, passed away on April 8, 2024, at Our Lady of Peace Hospice in St. Paul, Minnesota. James was born on March 20, 1948 in River Falls; the son of Harvey and Carol (Anderson) Gelo. He would be raised in River Falls before the family would make Hopkins their home.

James was known for his quiet and private nature, preferring to keep his personal life to himself. He felt most secure in his privacy, finding comfort and peace in the quiet moments of life. Although he was private, he could converse with anyone and took great pleasure in showing off his intense knowledge of so many topics.

James possessed a brilliant mathematical mind, approaching numbers and equations with an unparalleled curiosity and intellect. He had passion for mathematics and found joy and fulfillment in the world of numbers, leaving an indelible mark on those who had the privilege of witnessing his mathematical prowess. With this mindset, he studied the game of chess. This love of the game encouraged him to write the book; “Chess World Championships All The Games, 1834-1984”. This writing led him to three more updates though 2004 while another was in the works. Besides writing his books, Jim worked many hours on math theorems and read at least two books a week. Chess was a competitive mind game, while billiards involved both mind and skill. It was estimated that Jim played 34,000 games of billiards with his father until his passing. He loved his parents deeply and helping tend to them as they grew older. It also makes great sense that James was more than intrigued by Chinese culture and spirituality. He took great pleasure in reading about their deep tradition, profound philosophical insights, harmony with nature, and inner peace.

James is survived by several cousins; Sandy Gieseke, Gordy Gieseke, Lana Flynn, Susan Bass, Dan Morrow, Tom Morrow, Cheryl Morrow, Roxanne Shaide, Roger Shaide, Leslie Robey, Lynn Gelo, Loreen Ryder, Sharon (Gelo), Sheryl Planque; and their families. James is preceded in death by his parents Harvey and Carol (Anderson) Gelo; several special aunts and uncles; and his cousin Larry Gelo.

A funeral service for James Gelo will be held at 3:00 pm on Thursday, April 11, 2024 at O’Connell Funeral Home-River Falls. There will be a visitation starting at 1:00 pm until the start of the service at the funeral home. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery in River Falls, Wisconsin.

Services are entrusted to the O’Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of River Falls.