James 'Jim' L. Grismer, age 66, Aberdeen, died in the Avera Heart Hospital at Sioux Falls on Wednesday, January 1, 2020.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 9 from 4 to 7 p.m. with a liturgical wake service at 7 p.m. in the Chapel at Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home in Aberdeen. Fr. Andrew Thuringer will lead the wake service. Visitation will continue on Friday, January 10, one hour prior to the services in the church.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 10, 2020 in the St. Mary's Catholic Church at Aberdeen with Fr. Andrew Thuringer celebrating.

He was born James Lee Grismer on July 12, 1953, at Aberdeen, one of 13 children born to Edward and Mary (Blossey) Grismer. His family moved to the Hosmer area when he was an infant. Jim attended school at Hosmer School.

Jim continued working on the family farm near Hosmer after school, farming and milking. Jim met Leone Achen. They were married on July 28, 1973 in St. Mary's Catholic Church at Aberdeen. They continued living on the family farm near Hosmer until moving to Ipswich to raise their four boys. Later in life Jim moved to Aberdeen.

Jim had many incredible skills. After leaving the family farm he worked as an engineer in the Ipswich Hospital, drove tractor-trailer for several trucking companies and later owned his own construction business. He spent several years living and working in Texas supervising the construction of hotels. Most recently he worked for Stange Trucking near Groton. Jim was proud to share that in his lifetime he traveled over 4 million miles – or roughly 160 trips around the world!

He was a member of the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aberdeen. Jim had a passion for remodeling and construction, having long coffees while visiting with friends and loved ones, and spending time with his grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his parents Edward and Mary (Blossey) Grismer and his older brother John. Also preceding are numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Grateful for having shared in his life are his sons, Randy (Korine) Grismer of Aberdeen, Brad (Gretchen) Grismer of Spearfish, Quentin (Kayla) Grismer and Jerry (Kelli) Grismer both of Watertown; nine grandchildren, Cayley, Claire, Katherine, Miranda, Alexis, Alyssa, Isabel, Avah and Owen; two great-grandchildren, Emmit and Stephen; and siblings, Margaret (Clarence) Mitzel of Aberdeen, Barbara (Larry) Hallauer of Moore, Okla., Mary Kay (Luke) Stanfield of Huntsville, Ala., Jake Grismer of Warden, Wash., LeRoy (Jill) Grismer of Charlotte, N.C., Robert (Terri) Grismer of Dothan, Ala., Edward (Lisa) Grismer of Rockdale, Tex., Ray (Sandy) Grismer of Renner, Paul (Jane) Grismer of Edmond, Okla., Laura Juve of North Branch, Minn., and Christina Linthorne of Aberdeen; sister-in law, Dianne Grismer of Henry; and a host of cousins.

All friends and family should consider themselves as honorary casketbearers. The active casketbearers will be his sons, Randy, Bradley, Quentin and Jerry Grismer, and Jim's brothers, Ray, and Paul Grismer. Interment will be at a future date in Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery at Aberdeen.

The family respectfully requests funeral attendees wear jeans if they are comfortable doing so – Jim was not a suit and tie guy!

Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home of Aberdeen is serving the family. http://www.spitzerfuneralhome.com