The funeral service for James Busch, 87, of Aberdeen, SD, will be 11:00am, Friday, August 14, 2026, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, with Jacob Smith officiating. Burial at Sunset Memorial Gardens. James passed away Sunday, August 9, 2026, at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen, surrounded by his loving family.

Visitation will be 4:00pm-6:00pm, Thursday, August 13, 2026, followed by a prayer service at 6:00pm at Spitzer-Miller Funeral Home, 1111 South Main Street.

James Elwood Busch, son of Gerald and Vivian (Jensen) Busch, was born on April 4, 1939, in Hendricks, Minnesota. He attended school in Aberdeen and graduated from Central High School in May of 1957. During his schooling; he attended evening classes at Aberdeen Vocational School for Electronics and received his diploma on December 16, 1970.

On March 13, 1960, he married Darlys Joanne Berreth at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Leola. The couple made their home in Aberdeen and had three children: Laurel, Terrill, and Kay. They were married for 50 years before cancer took Darlys from him.

James was employed at the Creamery and then Firestone. He worked at Hub City; a subsidiary of Regal Beloit Corporation; for many years until he retired. James was always a very hard worker and he appreciated the jobs that he had been employed.

James was very proud of his girls. He taught them many things that had to do with living and enjoying life. He and his wife would take their children camping and enjoyed going to different campsites with other families that they were good friends with. James also loved spending time with family, relatives, friends, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He adored watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren play sports, which made him smile from ear to ear. He also loved having a shared birthday with his granddaughter, Brittany, where they enjoyed celebrating with many different themes.

While in Bethesda, James earned the name ‘Papa Jim.’ When the children from the Daycare came in from playing outside, they would walk by his room and James would be sitting in his wheelchair watching and waving to them. They would wave back and say, “Hi, Papa Jim.” Two of his great-granddaughters attend the Daycare in the summer and would get to see him everyday.

James enjoyed golfing, bowling, and tinkering in his garage. In his younger years, he enjoyed fishing and hunting. He also spent many weekends helping on the Berreth farm. Darlys and Jim loved dancing and taught their children the two-step, waltz, polka, and jitterbug.

James will be forever loved and deeply missed by his children; Laurel Busch of Aberdeen, SD, Terrill (Scott) Meier of Aberdeen, SD, and Kay (Paul) Heupel of Aberdeen, SD; his grandchildren, Derek (Abby) Brick of Aberdeen, SD, Brittany (Andrew) Anderson of Mina, SD, and Brantson Meier of Aberdeen, SD; his great-grandchildren, Ella, Emilia, Everett, and Ero Brick, and Remington and Halsley Anderson; his brother, Danny (Chris) Busch of Florence, OR; and his sister, Nancy Dunnan of Colorado Springs, CO; and many loving family and friends.

James was preceded in death by his wife, Darlys Busch, his parents, Gerald and Vivian Busch, and his brother Keith Busch.

A special thank you to all the staff at Bethesda for the wonderful care Jim received the last 4 ½ years and to those at Avera that assisted him during his end of life.