Biography:

Walter James “Jim” Oertling, Jr., age 78 of Robert, Louisiana, passed away in his home on July 10, 2020. He was born March 17, 1942, in New Orleans, the son of Walter J. Oertling and Carmen (Memory) Oertling. Jim graduated from Central Catholic High School in San Antonio, Class of 1960. Following graduation, he attended Louisiana State University and graduated in 1965 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Agronomy. Jim served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army and held the rank of Captain. He was a Combat Infantry Officer and deployed on tour to South Korea. He married Merryl Claire Davis on November 30, 1968 in Lacombe, Louisiana. Though their first relationship turned out to be less permanent than either of them expected, both went on to remarry. Jim married Sheila Faye Sill in August 1989. Jim later married Gina Maddalozzo in May 2000. He recently reunited with his former spouse Merryl, the love of his life. Jim’s true passion was music. His voice could fill a room. As a singer-songwriter and musician, Jim created music that enriched the lives of young and old. In 1978, his single “World of a Woman” reached number one on the New Orleans radio charts and he was most recently honored as a Louisiana Tradition Bearer in 2017. He loved that his music charmed listeners around the world; places that included Japan, England, Germany, and Australia. His 1962 recording of “Old Mossback”, a song about an elusive catch of a lifetime, helped solidify his acceptance into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame; a confirmation of a humble-man’s life-time of work. Jim was a remarkable man of kind spirit and open heart with a genuine love of people. The many professions in his well-known life allowed him to interact and share stories with the friends and family he so loved. The love of his children, their accomplishments, and the lives each had built was a legacy he captured in the lyrics of many of his songs. Jim’s lifelong love of fishing was formed in his early years casting lines with his uncle on the cypress banks of Bayou Lacombe. He loved cranking Mud-bugs in the Lock Canal, working smokey-tailed grubs in Bayou Liberty, and fishing Mojo-rigs in Boerne Lake. As a devout Catholic, Jim attended regular mass at Saint Peter’s Catholic Church in Covington, La. His strong Catholic faith guided his daily prayers and devotions. This faith continually renewed his spirit and allowed Jim to witness God’s love and joy in our world.

Credits: