James E. Brandsrud

James E. Brandsrud, 69, died Saturday, June 5, 2010 at Avera McKennan Hospital from an accident near Davis. Funeral services will be 2:00pm Wednesday, June 9, 2010 at Bethel Reformed Church, Davis with burial in the Davis Cemetery. Visitation will begin 2:00pm Tuesday at Hofmeister-Jones Funeral Home, Parker with family present from 6-8:00pm. James Edwin Brandsrud was born on March 8, 1941 at Watertown, SD to Max and Nellie Mae “Pat” (Hendren) Brandsrud. After growing up in Watertown he was a swimming instructor in the Navy. On January 20, 1973 he was united in marriage to Bonnie Mohr at Watertown. He had his own construction company and in 1975 they moved to Davis. Every morning he made his daily routine to Hurley with his faithful companion Louie for breakfast with the locals and he enjoyed seeing friends at the Davis Elevator. He loved to go to auction sales and to restore old cars, pickups, and most anything with a motor on it. He was a past member of the Davis Fire Department. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Bonnie of 37 years; his mother Nellie Mae “Pat” (Hank) Gartzke, Brookings, OR; his step-mother Murna Brandsrud, Watertown; 2 sons, Michael (Cristi Berens) McDonald, Gresham, OR, and James (Suzette) Brandsrud, Davis; 5 daughters, Connie (Harry) Roberts, Clear Lake, SD, Shawn M. Grafing, Hurley, Dorothy Kluckman, Sioux Falls, Jamie (fiancé Dennis Schuttloffel) Mai, Canton, and Jacklyn (Jason) Lounsbery, Davis; 13 grandchildren; and 5 sisters, Patricia Anderson, Silver Lake, Kansas, Diana (Joe) Derfler, Brookings,OR, Jeannie Olson, Eugene, OR, Chris (Harlowe) Nelson, Stockholm, SD, and Jackie (Bill) Rieffenberger, Watertown. He was preceded in death by his father.