Jim Arthur

James D. "Jim" Arthur, age 88, of Clark died Tuesday evening, October 3, 2017 at Prairie Lakes Hospital of Watertown with family by his side.

Visitation will be Saturday, October 7, 2017 from 5-8 p.m. at the Furness Funeral Home of Clark and one hour prior to the service at the church.

Funeral services will be Sunday, October 8, 2017 at 2:30 p.m. at the Clark United Methodist Church with Pastor Mark Tracy officiating. Pat Seefeldt will be the organist/pianist with special music by Robin Brown, Pam Grensberg, Janet Hallberg, and Greg Furness. There will be "Thoughts of the Granddaughters" shared by Shauna Huffington. The honorary casketbearers will be Karyl Maas, the Wookey and Hallberg families, all friends and other family. The active casketbearers will be Chad, Jason, and Daniel Helkenn, James, Jacob, Craig, and Christopher Arthur, Joshua Caster, and Jim and David Wallace. Burial with full military honors will follow in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark.

He was born James Daren Arthur on December 19, 1928 at Bison, SD, the son of James Raymond & Eva (Morrison) Arthur. The family moved to Woodland Township in Clark County, near Crocker. Jim began school at the Woodland School and then a short time later, the family moved to Day Township. This is where his friendship with the Wookey Families began, a friendship that lasted until his death, including a Wookey/Arthur Farm partnership for many years. Being a part of the Day Betterment Club has brought many memories to the family over the years.  Jim attended Clark High School graduating in 1947. After high school, he attended South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City due to an interest in building bridges and roads.

A short time later, Jim being a member of the Methodist Youth Group, met Eileen Pierson. They attended her Clark High School Senior Prom together. Jim took a break from college and enlisted into the United States Army during the Korean War. Eileen went with Jim to the enlistment and after basic training, he was stationed in the State of Washington. The couple was united in marriage on March 29, 1952 in Seattle, WA.  In 1954 he was discharged and they returned to South Dakota. Farming was still in his heart, so after returning to South Dakota, they rented a farm near Henry and later the family moved to Day Township, buying a farm near his parents.   The couple lived and farmed in Day Township, raising their family and an abundance of crops, from wheat, corn, soy bean, flax, potatoes, and raising livestock. They moved into Clark in 1989. Even though Jim and Eileen moved into Clark, Jim continued a daily routine of going to the farm, checking on the crops, the boys and the shop.

In his free moments in earlier years, he was very active in the National Farm Organization, the Cagley-Smith American Legion Post #60 of Clark serving as Post Commander and County Commander, and the Day Township Board. Jim also was a member of Clark Masonic Lodge and was a Shriner as well, and a member of the Clark County Historical Society.

Jim was a member of the United Methodist Church, and a faithful member of the choir as well. He loved spending time with his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and all the rest of his family. Second to none though was his love of tractors, collecting hundreds over the years, including full size to scale models. In 1996 he had one of the largest vintage tractor sales ever held in the area, attracting over 900 bidders from 17 states. Collecting was a bit of a disease he once said, so even though he had the huge sale, he still collected. He enjoyed restoring them as well, a passion he shared now with at least 1 grandchild. He and Eileen would take vacation trips, some of them even including Jim buying another tractor, Eileen wasn't always pleased.

Preceding him in death were his parents, wife Eileen in May of 2012, a great-grandson Stevie Helkenn in July of 2017 and a brother-in-law, Ed Hallberg.

Survivors include his children, Annette (Gerry) Helkenn, John (Karen) Arthur all of Clark, Joseph (Tawny) Arthur of South Shore, and Maureen (Jim) Wallace of Sugar Land, TX; 15 grandchildren, Chad (Bethany) Helkenn, Jason Helkenn, Daniel (Jennifer) Helkenn & Natalie Helkenn (Benjamin Schmitz), James (Stephanie) Arthur, Jacob (Kelsey) Arthur, Emily (Dan) Richardt, Craig (Marissa) Arthur, Christopher Arthur, Kelsey (Sam) Fischenich, Courtney Arthur, Joshua (Megan Moore) Caster, Shauna (Preston) Huffington, Jim (Ashley) Wallace, and David (Jana) Wallace; 21 great-grandchildren, Jack, Lucas, Nate, Grant, Owen, Matthew, Garrett, Benjamin, Amelia, Kayla, Grace, Erick, Brady, Alayna, Layla, Avery, Benjamin, Charlotte, Ava, Savannah, and Madison. He is survived by his sisters, Mary Lou Hallberg & Lois Rykhus both of Clark.