James Robert Happ

James Robert Happ, 72, passed away peacefully at home on June 21, 2025. Jim is survived by his wife, Janet (Geldermann), children Greg and Lucy, and siblings Larry, Rick, and Barb. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, George and Elizabeth (Lil) Happ, brother Kenneth Happ and sister Elizabeth (Betty) Boeckeler.  Despite his long battle with cancer, Jim approached each day with resilience and grace.  He never let cancer define him and continued to live life on his own terms.

James was born on March 26, 1953 in Evanston, IL. to George Mathias and Elizabeth Platz Happ.  His early life was spent in Morton Grove, IL. until 1955 when Jim’s father built their summer home on Lake Geneva.  When Jim was 8, the family moved to Lake Geneva permanently.  He attended grade school at St. Francis de Sales and was a 1971 graduate of Badger HS.  His childhood was spent either sailing at the Lake Geneva Yacht Club (LGYC), skiing at Majestic Hills or swimming in the lake.  He was such a good swimmer he went to state in backstroke. Jim loved Lake Geneva so much that early in marriage he moved Janet and family to the same neighborhood that he grew up in, the 700 Club.

Jim earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University, where he taught while attending school. His career took several paths: from working for Camco Manufacturing where he designed one of the first CAD programs, to a career as a software engineer and later working for nationally known UOP, a petrochemical company, Jim designed large input/output data models. His final career path was writing customized software for options traders in commodities industry in Chicago, New York, and London. He developed the sensitivity measure Vega (ν), still used by traders to assess option pricing when volatility shifts. Reflecting Jim’s sense of humor, the term Vega was named after his Chevy Vega.

Jim loved his children, Greg and Lucy. He loved an intellectual challenge and looked forward to the think tank sessions he had with Greg.  They often discussed technical work projects together.

His daughter Lucy was his delight.  He avidly followed her activities and career.  Always asking What’s “Lucy up to? “They shared a love of animals, engineering, and gardening.

A devout Christian, Jim treasured his pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Bosnia, where the Virgin Mary has appeared. He loved to study Catholic Theology and Church History in his free time, and later in life joined a men’s group, out of St. Francis De Sales, that read together and debated theological and philosophical books.

Jim had a passion for gardening. His prairie restoration project at his home gave him immense joy as well as frustration. He transformed the family property into a full-time retirement job.

Throughout his life, he was an avid sailor, whether he was sailing or providing commentary on the races he loved to watch. He skipped his E-Scow with fellow sailors in regattas at the LGYC and other inland lake races. He made many lifelong friends through sailing, both with those he crewed with and raced against.  His love of boating was a year-round activity.   In winter you would see him on the lake ice boating and summers taking the family boating. He enjoyed teaching his children to sail, boat and ice boat.

A mass of Christian Burial for Jim will be celebrated on Friday, June 27, 2025, 9:40 am at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Burial will take place immediately after the service at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Cemetery.  A visitation will be held on Thursday, June 26, 2025, from 5:00 pm till 7:00 pm at Derrick Funeral Home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy the family has asked that you make a donation  in Jim’s name to Geneva Lake Sailing School at the Lake Geneva Yacht Club , 1250 South Lake Shore Drive, Fontana, WI 53125 or online at glss.org.

Jim’s humor, kindness and love of a lively debate will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

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Derrick Funeral Home of Lake Geneva is honored to be assisting Jim's family.

Geneva Lake Sailing School
Web: https://www.glss.org/donations