Mass of Christian Burial for James E. Geffre, 79, of Aberdeen and formerly of Leola will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2012, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Leola, with Father Randy Phillips Celebrant. Burial follows at the church cemetery.
Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 Fifth Ave. N.W., Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Friends may sign his online guestbook at schriversmemorial.com.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m., Monday, at the mortuary with a liturgical wake service at 6 p.m. Visitation continues one hour before Mass at the church on Tuesday.
Jim passed away Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, at ManorCare Health Services in Aberdeen. Blessed be his memory.
James E. Geffre was born on Jan. 19, 1933, at Leola, to Lee and Rose (Kallas) Geffre. This is the area where he was raised and attended school. James graduated from Barnard High School, with the Class of 1951.
Following graduation, James began his working career by teaching school in Willow Township for one year. He then worked in Aberdeen, farmed with his brother for one year, worked for Montana Dakota Utilities and was Owner and Manager of Jim's Standard Service before beginning employment with the Department of Transportation. James remained with the D.O.T. until 1987, when he was forced to retire due to kidney failure. He received kidney dialysis for four years, until he underwent a successful kidney transplant in 1991.
Jim was united in marriage to Marva Lou Rau on Sept. 6, 1960, at Leola. Their union was blessed with three children. They made their home in Leola, until June 2012, when the couple moved to Aberdeen. Jim became a resident of ManorCare Health Services in August 2012, where he continued to reside until the time of his death.
Jim served as President of the Leola Country Club for several years. He loved fishing, playing the card game Auction 66, gardening, traveling and going on bus trips. He will always be remembered for "picking" on little kids and "beeping" their noses and for his ability to come up with creative nicknames for his family and friends.
Blessed to have shared his life are his wife of 52 years, Marva Lou Geffre, of Aberdeen; his children, Jerome (Jenny) Geffre and Fred (Jolene) Geffre, both of Aberdeen and Alan (Deb) Geffre of Sioux Falls, S.D.; his grandchildren, Eric Johnson of Clark, S.D., Andrew, Nathan, Jared and Emily Geffre, of Aberdeen and Lily and Nora Geffre of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and two sisters, Rita (August) Braun and Joan (LeRoy) Weiszhaar.
Jim is preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Norbert, Mary, Eleanora, Marcella, Leo, Frank, Clem, Clarence, Robert, and his twin brother, Jerome.