Obituary for James W. "Jim" Adams
James “Jim” W. Adams, 89, died July 25, 2022, in Watertown.
A private funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 29, 2022 at the Wight and Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown, SD, with the Rev. Cheryl Rondeau-Bassett officiating. Music will be provided by organist A.J. Sherrill and soloist Jerod Jordan.
Burial will be in the Hazel Cemetery in Hazel, SD. Military Honors will be conducted by Codington County Post 17 of the American Legion and South Dakota Army National Guard Funeral Honors Team.
A Celebration of Life gathering will be held after the internment in Hazel at the Senior Citizen Center.
Honorary pallbearers will be Krysta Hayslip, Jennifer Snyder, Jacqueline Larson, Atalie Swanson, Katherine Adams, Rebecca Adams, Taylor Adams, and Nicole Miller.
Active pallbearers will be Michael Adams, Timothy J. Adams, Jeremy Swanson, Zachary J. Swanson, Austin Adams, and Brady Woodring.
Visitation will be in the Wight and Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. and Friday prior to the service. The family will meet at the funeral chapel at 10:15 a.m., Friday, July 29, 2022 for a prayer service.
James was born Feb. 9, 1933, at the Adams homestead near Hazel, SD, to William and Katherine (Weelborg) Adams. At age five, his family moved into Hazel. He graduated from Hazel High School Class of 1951 as Valedictorian. Jim worked for area farmers until he was drafted into the United States Army in 1951. He served two years and received an honorable discharge earning the rank of corporal (E4).
Jim married Marie Poor on Aug. 21, 1956. To this union were born five children, Deborah, Daniel, Damon, Dana, and Dale. By trade Jim worked at the Public Opinion for thirty-five years; first, in advertising, and then as the manager of the Commercial Printing and Graphics Department. Jim’s passions included hunting with his boys and his dog Brit, whom he cherished for thirteen years; fishing; beekeeping with his brother Bob; selling honey out of his home for many years; collecting antique duck decoys; weighing fishing tournaments with Marie in a five-state area for thirty years, including the Governor’s Cup; and gardening. He grew ten-foot tomato plants and other vegetables. When he was in the garden planting or weeding, Jim said he was “close to God” and “in his zone.”
Jim had been a member of Grace Lutheran Church since 1963. He was head usher of all three church services for a time and facilitated the Hymn-Request Program on the radio for many years. He was on the Board of Directors, as well.
As a veteran Jim was a member of Codington County American Legion Post 17 for fifty-three years. He was a member of Elks Club 838 for fifty-nine years.
Dr. Ted Wrage, LeRoy Rose, Bill Hackett, and Jim were charter members of the Watertown Ducks Unlimited (DU) Chapter in 1968. Jim was a longtime leader and supporter of DU. His fellow supporters always referred to Jim as a “peach of a guy.” He was appointed state chairman in 1988 and served for 2 ½ years. Jim introduced the sponsor decoy to all the state chapters. Among his service awards was his induction into the South Dakota DU “Hall of Fame” in 2011. Jim received the highest DU honor, the “Frank Heidelbauer Senior Volunteer of the Year” award in 2012. Ducks Unlimited and the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks also dedicated the Sioux-Poinsett Game Production Area to Jim in 1998 in honor of his many years of service. Jim served as director of the South Dakota Stamp wildlife and waterfowl contest. He also edited and published the national DU newspaper “Fowl Talk.”
Jim was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers, Archie, Donald, Jesse, Robert, and Wayne; and two sisters, Mabel Wattawa and Mary Ann McLeod.
Jim is survived by his wife Marie; his daughter Deborah (Pete) Swanson; his four sons, Daniel (Leslie) Adams, Damon (Jody) Adams, Dana Adams, and Dale (Sheri) Adams; thirteen grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren, Elijah, Mabel, Hattie, Ezra, Coen, and Harriet. Jim had many friends and was the best husband, father, and grandfather one could ever have. His family will miss him dearly.
Arrangements by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel-www.wightandcomes.com
A private funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 29, 2022 at the Wight and Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown, SD, with the Rev. Cheryl Rondeau-Bassett officiating. Music will be provided by organist A.J. Sherrill and soloist Jerod Jordan.
Burial will be in the Hazel Cemetery in Hazel, SD. Military Honors will be conducted by Codington County Post 17 of the American Legion and South Dakota Army National Guard Funeral Honors Team.
A Celebration of Life gathering will be held after the internment in Hazel at the Senior Citizen Center.
Honorary pallbearers will be Krysta Hayslip, Jennifer Snyder, Jacqueline Larson, Atalie Swanson, Katherine Adams, Rebecca Adams, Taylor Adams, and Nicole Miller.
Active pallbearers will be Michael Adams, Timothy J. Adams, Jeremy Swanson, Zachary J. Swanson, Austin Adams, and Brady Woodring.
Visitation will be in the Wight and Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. and Friday prior to the service. The family will meet at the funeral chapel at 10:15 a.m., Friday, July 29, 2022 for a prayer service.
James was born Feb. 9, 1933, at the Adams homestead near Hazel, SD, to William and Katherine (Weelborg) Adams. At age five, his family moved into Hazel. He graduated from Hazel High School Class of 1951 as Valedictorian. Jim worked for area farmers until he was drafted into the United States Army in 1951. He served two years and received an honorable discharge earning the rank of corporal (E4).
Jim married Marie Poor on Aug. 21, 1956. To this union were born five children, Deborah, Daniel, Damon, Dana, and Dale. By trade Jim worked at the Public Opinion for thirty-five years; first, in advertising, and then as the manager of the Commercial Printing and Graphics Department. Jim’s passions included hunting with his boys and his dog Brit, whom he cherished for thirteen years; fishing; beekeeping with his brother Bob; selling honey out of his home for many years; collecting antique duck decoys; weighing fishing tournaments with Marie in a five-state area for thirty years, including the Governor’s Cup; and gardening. He grew ten-foot tomato plants and other vegetables. When he was in the garden planting or weeding, Jim said he was “close to God” and “in his zone.”
Jim had been a member of Grace Lutheran Church since 1963. He was head usher of all three church services for a time and facilitated the Hymn-Request Program on the radio for many years. He was on the Board of Directors, as well.
As a veteran Jim was a member of Codington County American Legion Post 17 for fifty-three years. He was a member of Elks Club 838 for fifty-nine years.
Dr. Ted Wrage, LeRoy Rose, Bill Hackett, and Jim were charter members of the Watertown Ducks Unlimited (DU) Chapter in 1968. Jim was a longtime leader and supporter of DU. His fellow supporters always referred to Jim as a “peach of a guy.” He was appointed state chairman in 1988 and served for 2 ½ years. Jim introduced the sponsor decoy to all the state chapters. Among his service awards was his induction into the South Dakota DU “Hall of Fame” in 2011. Jim received the highest DU honor, the “Frank Heidelbauer Senior Volunteer of the Year” award in 2012. Ducks Unlimited and the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks also dedicated the Sioux-Poinsett Game Production Area to Jim in 1998 in honor of his many years of service. Jim served as director of the South Dakota Stamp wildlife and waterfowl contest. He also edited and published the national DU newspaper “Fowl Talk.”
Jim was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers, Archie, Donald, Jesse, Robert, and Wayne; and two sisters, Mabel Wattawa and Mary Ann McLeod.
Jim is survived by his wife Marie; his daughter Deborah (Pete) Swanson; his four sons, Daniel (Leslie) Adams, Damon (Jody) Adams, Dana Adams, and Dale (Sheri) Adams; thirteen grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren, Elijah, Mabel, Hattie, Ezra, Coen, and Harriet. Jim had many friends and was the best husband, father, and grandfather one could ever have. His family will miss him dearly.
Arrangements by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel-www.wightandcomes.com