Jim Folkerts

James Charles Folkerts was born on September 15, 1941 to Charles and Marie (Ostermeier) Folkerts in Pipestone, Minnesota. He lived with his family on a farm near Jasper, Minnesota where he was raised. He attended school in Pipestone, graduating in 1959. After his graduation, he attended South Dakota State College in Brookings, South Dakota graduating with a degree in Agricultural Engineering. On July 12, 1963, he was united in marriage to Bonita “Bonnie” Youel at Trent Baptist Church in Trent, South Dakota. Following their marriage, they lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana where he worked for International Harvester Truck Division as a test engineer. In 1964, they moved to a farm near Jasper and farmed with his dad. In the fall of 1973, they relocated to the family farm and he farmed with his son, DJ. Jim said he was proud to have brought in the crop one more time with DJ. Jim passed away suddenly on Saturday, November 24, 2018, at the Pipestone County Medical Center at the age of 77 years, two months, and nine days.

Jim was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pipestone where he sang in the choir from 1955 - present, taught Sunday school from 1957 - present, and served as an elder, congregational president and on the education committee. He was involved with the Pipestone County Pork Producers and served as Vice President of the Minnesota Pork Producers for two terms; and was a delegate to the National Pork Producers. He was a director of Sweet Township Farm Mutual and was a member of the Eden Jolly Junior 4-H and had served as a leader. Jim was a member of the Sioux Valley Electric Member Advisory Board. Jim played fast pitch softball for more than 20 years. He was a sports fan of the MN Twins, MN Vikings, SDSU Jackrabbits, and attending ballgames which the granddaughters participated in. He loved farming, raising cattle, feeding and raising pigs and attending a variety of cattle shows. He was a member of the Pipestone Male Chorus, which was later known as the Al Opland Singers and THE FROGS (Four Really Old Guys Singing) Men’s Quartet. Jim was president of the South Dakota State College Class of 1963. While attending college, he sang with The STATESMEN, the college men’s choir. All four years of college, he served many banquets as a head waiter and also was a dorm resident assistant. Being Jim particularly enjoyed family genealogy, family gatherings were very important. Having his family together was the greatest and spending time with grandchildren was the most rewarding. Jim’s favorite hour of every week was teaching his 7th and 8th grade Sunday school class.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Bonnie of Jasper, Minnesota; two sons, John (Vicki) Folkerts of Brookings, South Dakota and Daniel ‘DJ” (Amy) Folkerts of Jasper; seven grandchildren, Tyann, Sienna and Acadia Folkerts and Kendra, Rylee, Maesa and Charlie Folkerts; and two sisters, Jeanette (Mert) Baldwin-Dresser of Bloomington, Minnesota and Mary (Wilbur) Laffrenzen of Rochester, Minnesota. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother-in-law, Donald Baldwin; his father- and mother-in-law, Lloyd and Marjorie Youel.