An open house to celebrate the life of Jim Kohnen, 72, of Aberdeen, SD, will start at 2:00pm, Saturday, September 12, 2026, at his daughter Jessica’s barn SW of Groton, SD. Jim died Saturday, August 29, unexpectedly at his home in Aberdeen.

Arrangements by Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home, 1111 South Main Street, Aberdeen, SD.

James ‘Jim’ William Kohnen was born December 23, 1953, to Mike and Pauline (Lawyer) Kohnen in Huron. He grew up working on the family farm near Wessington, according to Jim, he was milking cows at age 2. Jim worked hard but found time for fun. After graduating from Tulare High School in 1972, Jim began work as a meat cutter at Farmers Market in Huron and later worked at Huron Dressed Beef. In 1976, Jim married Karen Binger. To this union, a daughter, Jessica was born in 1978, and a son, Dan was born in 1979. Together they built and operated a butcher shop in Redfield, SD. Later Jim became a state meat inspector and later a federal meat inspector with the USDA. Over the years he worked in Huron, Sioux Falls, and Lake Mills, WI. Jim retired in June 2014 and by October of that year was back at work as an interim inspector in Aberdeen at DemKota Beef. He retired again in 2019 before starting his dream job (behind the windshield) in 2020 working for MedSpeed.

Jim spent the past 24 years with his special friend Jill Kalt. He loved traveling the countryside and going for “Sunday drives” whether it was Sunday or not. He loved going with his son and grandsons deer hunting and prairie dog hunting. Jim enjoyed spending time with his friends and family but could never sit still too long and would never outstay his welcome. His family was very important to him, and he spent many hours in the stands watching his grandsons and Jill’s nieces perform in their sports and other activities. Jim joked that he didn’t have a heart earning himself the nickname Frosty, but everyone that knew him knew he had a huge heart and cared deeply for family and friends.

Grateful for having shared Jim’s life are his special friend Jill Kalt; his children: Jessica (Joel) Kroll and Dan (Sara) Kohnen; his grandchildren: Jace, Ethan, and Connor Kroll; four siblings: Robert (Pam) Kohnen, Larry (Kathy) Kohnen, Sharon Schroeder, and Debbie (Don) Germain; and his special nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

Preceding Jim in death are his parents Mike and Pauline.