James A. Bauer
Funeral services for James Bauer, 84, of Aberdeen,
formally of Mobridge, will be
11:00 AM Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at Zion Lutheran Church of Mobridge.
Interment will be Wednesday, June 24, 2020 in the Black
Hills National Cemetery under the direction of Kesling
Funeral Home. Visitation will be one hour prior to
service. James passed away Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at
Prairie Heights Healthcare in Aberdeen, SD.
James Allen Bauer was born on the farm near Zeeland, ND on
June 5, 1936 to Christ and Bertha (Pfeifer) Bauer. He was
the youngest child in a family of 6 children. His parents
were both born in ND, but his grandparents on both sides
were from Russia and Germany and came to America through
Ellis Island. Jim was baptized and confirmed in Zion
Lutheran Church in Zeeland, ND. He attended grade school
in Zeeland and completed one year of high school.
Jim grew up working on the family farm, and at the age of
22 he entered the United States Army where he served for
17 months. He was stationed in Ft. Carson, CO and also
spent a year in Iceland.
Throughout his life Jim worked in many different areas in
the country on power plants, gasification and missile
sites and cross-country pipelines. His jobs took him to
Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota,
Minnesota, and South Dakota. His last job was at a truck
stop in Primm, NV called Whiskey Pete's where he worked
for 17 years.
In 2008 Jim retired and moved back to Mobridge to be
closer to family. He never married or had children of his
own, but his nieces and great-nieces and friends were his
family and "kids". He always enjoyed the visits from them.
Jim had a sense of humor and quick wit that made him a
pleasure to be around. He was kind and wise and was a man
with a gentle spirit. He was not a complainer. He
frequently said, "It doesn't do any good to complain, no
one will listen to me anyway!" Even in his later years as
his health failed and he lost his leg and there was a
threat of losing the other one, he endured it with grace.
He said, "The Lord is taking me to heaven one piece at a
time."
Jim had a strong faith and talked about heaven frequently.
In all the places he lived over the years, he knew with
absolute certainty that heaven would be his final home.
He'd say, "I talk to God every day and tell Him I'm ready
to go." In God's good time...now he's home.
Jim passed away on June 17, 2020 at the age of 84 at
Prairie Heights Healthcare in Aberdeen, SD. He is survived
by a sister-in-law, Lila Wockenfuss, of Aberdeen as well
as numerous nieces and a nephew. Preceding him in death
were his parents, 4 brothers, 1 sister and another sister
in infancy.
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