Memorial Service for Rev. James Hasting Reeb, 64, of Peever, South Dakota will be held on Saturday, November 25, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. at the Peever Community Center, Peever, SD.   There will be visitation one hour prior to services at the Peever Community Center. Pastor Sheila Pohl will be officiating, and Pianist will be Amy Currence. Honorary Pall Bearers will be John Roth, Joseph Roth, Thomas Roth, Peter Roth, John Galik, Don Atkins, Jason Frerichs, and Phil Jarman . Interment was in the Peever Cemetery, Peever, SD. The Cahill Funeral Chapel, Sisseton, SD is in charge of arrangements.

Reverend James Hastings Reeb was born March 1, 1959 in Chicago Illinois. He lived in Homewood, Illinois and grew up at Faith Lutheran Church, a German among Sweds, where he was baptized, confirmed, active in youth group and Senior Choir, and ordained into Word and Sacrament Ministry in January 1986.

Jim loved people, music, and God. He served the church faithfully for over 30 years. He had a wicked sense of humor, was a great storyteller and could talk your ears off, but was also a wise and compassion listener who let the light and love of Christ shine through him. He was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, friend and die-hard Cubs and Bears fan. He had an amazing ability to connect with people, and stay connected over the years.

Jim attended Homewood Flossmore High School where he was a swimmer, golfer, bowler and Mathlete (he earned his sports letter in Math). After graduation, he traveled all over the country with Lutheran Youth Encounter on a music team, singing, playing guitar, and sharing the love of Jesus.

At Valparaiso University, Jim studied music, then earned his B.A. in theology and history. He belonged to Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the music fraternity, sang in the University's touring choir and was Cantor for the University Chapel.

Jim earned his Masters of Divinity degree at Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary in St. Paul where he played in a Blue Grass Band, made life long friends, and met his future wife washing dishes in the Seminary diet, arguing about the proper way to rinse orange juice glasses and singing show tunes. He served his Internship year at St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, Kansas.

After two years of long distance dating, Jim married Kay Ramynke at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Aberdeen, SD on July 6, 1985. Shortly after the honeymoon, they headed out with three bus loads of High School youth for the National Youth Gathering in Denver, Colorado.

Jim served a combined Lutheran/Methodist/United Church of Christ congregation out west and then was called to Scandinavia and Bethany Lutheran Churches and Bethesda Nursing Home in Aberdeen. He earned his M.S. degree in Guidance and Counseling at Northern University and did his internship at St. Luke's Hospital. Jim served as Interim Pastor at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Redfield. He served as Interim Pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church in Hosmer, South Dakota, and loved being back among the Germans.

In 1990, Jim and Kay took a call together serving Hopeful Spirit Lutheran Parish in Oakes, Cogswell, Brampton and Clement North Dakota. They left in 1992, when Kay joined the US Navy as a Chaplain, assigned to Great Lakes and Jim accepted the Call to St. Philip Lutheran Church in Glenview, Illinois. The greatest joy of Jim and Kay's lives came in September 1994 when the family was blessed with the arrival of Daniel Harrison Reeb. Jim left St. Philip to become a full time Dad. He served as Interim Pastor for congregations in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, always with Daniel in tow.

In Jacksonville, Florida Jim served as Interim Pastor at St. Mark's Lutheran, then Pastor at St. Andrew's by the Sea. He completed a yearlong Clinical Pastoral Education Residency at Shands Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center.

Next stop was Princeton, New Jersey and then on September 11, 2001, the world changed. Jim began a yearlong Interim at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Red Bank, New Jersey. In the Spring, the family moved back to Chicago where Jim's Mom and Dad came to live with us after Jim's twin brother John died. Jim continued to help the Chicago Metropolitan Synod. The next Navy move was to Camp Pendleton, CA, where Jim did Interim work at Faith Lutheran Church in Yucaipa, and other work for the Pacifica Synod, then to give Dan a better grounding while Kay was deployed, Jim moved back to Aberdeen, SD.

In 2010 Jim began a long term Interim at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Middletown, New Jersey. He started the King of Kings Men's Bible Study and Beer Making group, narrowly missed winning the King of Kings Chili Cook-off (where the winning entry was snuck in from Wendy's!) and made many lifelong friends.

Jim's last call was to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Williston, North Dakota where he played and sang with the Praise Band, and reached out with creative evangelism (often with late nights meeting and visiting with people at Walmart and inviting them to church). He was very active in the Ministerial outreach to the homeless. In 2015 Jim retired and moved back to take over the family farm in Peever, South Dakota, and joined Peever Lutheran Church.

Wherever Jim went, he was active in the local community. He was a familiar face in the Aberdeen Community Theater productions. He sang Lead with the Preachers and Pals Barbershop Quartet out of Aberdeen, delighting hundreds of people at concerts, fairs and shows. He sang in the Aberdeen Men's Chorus and with the International Silver and Gold Medalist New Tradition Barbershop Chorus out of Northbrook, Illinois. He was a member of the Lions Club, the Moose Lodge, Pheasants Forever, Mt. Moriah Lodge #51 AF & AM in Williston, North Dakota, and he loved hanging out with the guys at Edward's Pipe Shop in Jacksonville, Florida. He was active in Navy Spouses groups and served as the JOHN F. KENNEDY CV 67 Santa Claus, listening to the Christmas wishes of hundreds of children on the Hanger Deck of the aircraft carrier. Wherever Jim went, he stayed in touch with the people he loved by phone and facebook.

Jim died on November 9th, 2023 at home on the farm with Daniel and Kay and all the local rescue teams present. It was time to go to his Heavenly Home. He was preceded in death by his father Dr. Blanchard Bert Reeb, his mother Jean Garrad Reeb, his twin brother John Reeb and his brother-in-law John Roth

He is survived by his wife of 38 years Rev. Kay Reeb and his son Daniel Reeb of Peever, SD; sister Laura Roth of Palatine, IL and brother William and Kazumi Reeb of Williston, ND; nephews and nieces John Roth, Jr. and Dr. Elizabeth Roth of Brookfield, WI; Joseph and Amber Roth of Wentzville, MO; Thomas and Jennifer Roth of Mount Prospect, IL; Peter and Farihah Roth of Chicago IL; Benjamin Roth of Chicago IL; Susan Roth of Chicago IL; Petty Officer 3rd Class Luke and Maddison Reeb of Jacksonville, FL, Joshua Reeb of Williston, ND, Jessica Harris of Long Beach, CA, Delbert Harris of Baldwin, WI, great nephews and nieces Evan, Jacob, and Isaac Roth; Owen and Kylie Roth; Thomas, Noah and Hannah Roth; Emilia Reeb; Sterling Harris; Timothy and Paige Harris.

He will be greatly missed. Blessed be his memory