Funeral Mass for James Robert “Jim” Horning, age 85, of Watertown, SD, will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 19, 2009, at Holy Name Catholic Church in Watertown.  Fr. John Lantsberger will officiate.  Music will be provided by Donna Williams as organist, Blaine Martian as song leader, and Becky Mahowald and Cathy Horning as vocalists.  Jim passed away on Monday, December 14, 2009, at a local care center after a long illness.

     Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Watertown.  Military graveside honors will be provided by Codington County Post #17 of the American Legion, Frank H. Adams Post #750 of Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Marine Corps League – Kampeska N.E. Det. #1079, all of Watertown.  Pallbearers will be: Steve Horning, Jim Horning, Greg Horning, Ted Horning, Ross Horning, and Charlie Horning. 

     Visitation will be at the Crawford Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. Scripture Wake service.  Visitation will continue in the church on Saturday prior to services.  The family is requested to meet at the church on Saturday by 9:30 a.m. for a prayer service.

     Jim was born on August 25, 1924, in Estelline, SD, to Ross and Harriet (Meaghan) Horning.  He graduated from Watertown High School in 1942 and thereafter joined the United States Marine Corps. He served during WWII where he received a Purple Heart after having been wounded from an artillery shell and later a mortar blast in the battle of Okinawa.  He spoke very little of his wartime experience but did volunteer on several occasions to talk of the armed services on Veteran’s Day at the grade school of his niece, Renee Cummings. 

     While in the service, Jim married Erma F. Koenders in Castlewood, SD on September 1, 1944.  The couple initially lived in San Diego, CA, and then Erma returned to South Dakota while Jim went to war.  After he was discharged from the service, Jim was the Commander of the American Legion, as he was not able to work, due to an injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident.  He was later employed by Park Grant & Co. and thereafter was primarily a salesman and most of the time with automobiles.  He was the manager of Lake City Motors working with his very good friend Max Heintz.  Jim and Erma moved to Faribault, MN, where Jim was among the first group of employees of the newly formed Quality School Plan of the Reader’s Digest.  Jim worked for them for many years and retired in 1985.  He continued to do consulting work for them as he had one of the most successful accounts working with O’Gorman High School in Sioux Falls, SD.

     Jim was a frequent guest emcee for several retirees from QSP due to his excellent sense of humor, quick wit, and storytelling ability.  He was also an avid golfer.  He had many golfing trophies and was a former president of the South Dakota Golf Association and a former board member of the United States Golf Association.  One of his most memorable matches was losing on the final holes to the congenial Curt Byrum at Westward Ho with the crowd cheering for the “old guy”.   Jim made multiple golfing trips with his favorite golfing buddies, the late Daniel Dunn and Dr. John Ward.  He was also a good baseball player and was the first baseman for the Park Grant Amateur Baseball team that won the National Amateur Championship in 1950 in Battle Creek, MI.

     Jim is survived by his four children: Dr. James (Joan) Horning and Gregory (Jeanne) Horning, all of Watertown, SD, Steven Horning of Henry, SD, and Cheri Larson, of Tulsa, OK; four grandsons:  Charles Horning of St. Louis Park, MN, Ross Horning of Sioux Falls, SD, Ted (Sara) Horning and Shawn Horning all of Watertown, SD; one granddaughter, Emilee Horning, of Watertown, SD; and one great-granddaughter, Isabella Horning, daughter of Ted and Sara Horning; three brothers:  Bill (Rita) Horning of Coos Bay, OR, Harry Richard “Dick” Horning of Watertown, SD, and Jon (Terry) Horning of Willmar, MN; two sisters: Mary Jeanne (Denny) Turtle of Mankato, MN, and Julie (Jerry) Richmond of Bradenton, FL.

     He was preceded in death by his wife, Erma, on March 18, 2009; his parents, and three brothers:  Ross, Jerome, and Joey as a young child.    

     His children feel blessed that they had him for these 85 years and are proud to have had him as a father.