James Blades

Dates

Obituary

James Blades, 92, of Mitchell, SD, died Thursday, December 28, 2023, at Edgewood Memory Care in Mitchell. Memorial services will be at 1:30 PM on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at First United Methodist Church in Mitchell. Burial will be at Graceland Cemetery in Mitchell. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

James “Jim” Edwin Blades was born May 4, 1931, to Joseph and Lulu (Price) Blades in South Dakota.

Jim joined the US Navy on February 4, 1952, during the Korean War. He was first stationed in San Diego as a Ham Radio Man and electronics technician. Jim was then stationed in Japan where he was in charge of running and repairing cryptographic equipment and trained the Japanese repairmen. He served until November 15, 1955, and remained in the Naval Reserve until December 1959.

Jim married Lois Peterson on March 26, 1960, in Mitchell.

Jim taught in Alexandria for six years with the Hanson School District, and later joined Mitchell High School in 1966. At Mitchell High School, Jim taught and was a guidance counselor for 26 years, until retiring in 1993. Jim also belonged to the SD Guidance Counselors Association and the NEA.

Jim was a member of the United Methodist Church since 1942. He helped his wife serve food for various events with the United Methodist women such as, Corn Palace Day meals and Love Feast meals. Jim volunteered at the Friends of the Middle Border Museum from 1995 to 2004, and then at Dakota Discovery Museum from 2005 to 2014.

Jim was a member of the Grand Lodge Masonry of Alexandria since 1964. Jim’s favorite hobby was his Ham Radio in which he was a member of the A-1 Operator Club, Quarter Century Wireless Association Inc., and American Radio Relay League Inc. His call sign was WOCLS. Jim enjoyed bee keeping and was a member of the SD Beekeeper Association from 1978-1993. He also enjoyed gardening and bird watching, but most of all he loved talking about his sons and grandchildren. 

Jim is survived by his two sons, Jerry (Marcia) Blades of Broomfield, CO and Robert (Becky) Blades of Sioux Falls, SD; four grandchildren, James Weldon (Jayne) Blades and Alana Blades of Broomfield, CO, Katelynne Blades Clark and Nathan Clark II both of Sioux Falls, SD, and Jordan Blades (Erin Deornemann) of Lincoln, NE; niece, Vicki Miller Taggart; and nephews, William Peterson, Lee Peterson, Dale Peterson, Burt Peterson, and Marc Peterson.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois, and nephews, Kent Miller and John Peterson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Love Feast of Mitchell.

Service

Cemetery