James "Jim" Torguson

Services for James D. “Jim” Torguson, 86, of Andover will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, August 31st at Paetznick-Garness Funeral Chapel, Groton.  Rev. Howie Krienke will officiate.  Burial will follow in Union Cemetery, Groton under the direction of Paetznick-Garness Funeral Chapel, Groton. 

Visitation will be held Friday at the funeral home beginning at 10 a.m. 

Jim passed away August 28, 2018 at Sun Dial Manor, Bristol. 

James Delbert Torguson was born on January 5, 1932 at the family farm in Farmington Township, Day County, SD to John “Jack” and Della (Fuglesten) Torguson.  He was confirmed in 1946 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Pierpont, SD and attended area country schools. Jim later became a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Groton, SD.  He enlisted with the US Air Force in 1952 and was stationed in Merced, California, Spokane, Washington, Albuquerque, New Mexico and Thule, Greenland.  Following his honorable discharge, he spent time in Salt Lake City, Utah where he worked in refrigeration.  Jim returned to South Dakota where he farmed and raised cattle with his family.  In the 1960s, he and his brother shipped hay for a number of years.  He also drove truck for Freddy Meints and Bill Rogers Trucking during the fall and winter. Jim enjoyed telling stories of his truck driving days.  Jim was actively farming and helping his nephew and niece haul cattle to pasture within a week of having to move to Sun Dial Manor in Bristol in July of 2013.

Jim had a passion for agriculture and livestock.  He enjoyed working with cattle and horses.  He always looked forward to calving season, even if it usually meant fighting mud and a feisty cow or two. Jim had a favorite horse named Dusty that he shared many stories about with the care givers at Sun Dial Manor.  Dusty was a faithful companion to Jim for years.  He spent many hours in his John Deere tractors feeding cattle, moving snow, and doing field work.  Jim was an avid welder in his younger years and was quite the handy man when it came to fixing equipment. 

Jim served as Farmington Township Supervisor for 30 years. 

Celebrating his life are his nieces and nephews, Lanny R. Torguson of Andover, SD, Tanya A Torguson (Jeff Wolff) of Bath, SD, Jerome (Connie) Overmier of Billings, Montana and Dalon (Ken) Livingston of Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Preceding him in death were his parents, his sister and brother-in-law, Joyce (F.W. Overmeir), his brother and sister-in-law, D. Duane (Marlys Schott) Torguson and his nephew, Steve Overmier. 

 
Honorary Casketbearers will be all of the Employees at Sun Dial Manor, Bristol. 

Casketbearers will be Robert Osterman, Jason Osterman, TJ Davis, Loel Schott, Randy Wagner, Todd Aadland and William LaMee. 

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