Longtime Birdseye resident and veteran Jim Aul remembered for community service

James F. "Jim" Aul, 85, of Birdseye died Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Deaconess Memorial Hospital in Jasper. Aul's passing removes a familiar presence from Dubois County's veteran, fraternal, and parish networks where he served for decades.

Born May 15, 1940, in Muncie, Aul graduated from Burris High School and later earned a bachelor’s degree before serving eight years in the U.S. Army. His military service was a defining thread through a life rooted in small-town civic institutions. He was an active member of St. Isidore Parish (St. Celestine Catholic Church) and participated in American Legion Post #147, Jasper Moose, and the Jasper Knights of Columbus.

Those affiliations place Aul among the volunteers who sustain Dubois County's civic infrastructure, from veterans' support and memorial rites to parish activities and social clubs that knit rural communities together. American Legion Post #147 will conduct military gravesite rites following Aul's burial, a local ritual that underscores the county's tradition of honoring service members.

Aul's personal interests reflected the rural rhythms of southern Indiana. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and playing pool, pastimes that often double as social venues in towns from Birdseye to Jasper. For neighbors and friends, those common pursuits were as much about community as recreation, providing informal spaces for conversation, mutual aid, and civic ties.

A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at St. Celestine Catholic Church in Celestine, with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Isidore Parish; those wishing to mark Aul's life through the institutions he supported can consider this as a practical option.

The local impact of Aul's passing is typical of life in close-knit counties: when one steady volunteer steps away, organizations must adapt. American Legion Post #147 and parish leaders will likely feel that shift in hands-on duties and in the quieter ways regulars keep an eye on each other.

The takeaway? When long-serving neighbors like Jim Aul pass, it’s a reminder to check in with the veterans, volunteers, and parishioners who keep Dubois County's civic life running. Our two cents? Attend the service if you can, or consider supporting St. Isidore Parish or local veterans groups to honor the practical legacy he leaves behind.