1934
James
2007
James DeFea
February 20, 1934 — August 4, 2007
Mass of Christian Burial for James E. DeFea will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 9, 2007, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Milbank. Father Ken Lulf will be the celebrant. Jim died on Saturday, August 4, 2007, at the Golden Living Center in Milbank. Family members are asked to meet in the church chapel by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday to attend services. The organist will be Nancy Johnson and Theresa Stehly will be the soloist. Members of the St. Lawrence funeral choir will be song leaders. Visitation will be at the church on Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. until the time of the Scripture service and Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue in the church on Thursday one hour before services. Pallbearers will be his grandchildren: Brittney, Alex, Tom, Ryan, Peter, Jacob, Andy, and Nick DeFea and Ben and Joe Harstad. Burial will be in the parish cemetery with military graveside rites conducted by the Grant County VFW Post #3486 and the Birch-Miller American Legion Post #9, of Milbank.
James Edward DeFea was born on February 20, 1934, in Wheaton, MN, the son of Mike and Clara (Patterson) DeFea. He attended Milbank High School for two years and graduated from St. Thomas Academy in St. Paul, MN. Jim graduated from S.D.S.U. in Brookings, SD, with a degree in economics in 1959. He served his country during the Korean Conflict in the U.S. Navy from February 19, 1952, until his honorable discharge on February 18, 1955. He received the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
He was united in marriage to Shirley A. Ellingson on April 22, 1957, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Milbank. Following graduation from S.D.S.U., the couple returned to Milbank where Jim worked with his father, his brother Jack and his uncle Pete DeFea in the DeFea Theatre. He later purchased the theatre from his father and owned and operated it until 1979 when it was sold to Neil and Jenni Bagaus. Jim also owned the American Family Insurance Agency in Milbank for thirty-six years until his retirement in 1996.
He was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Milbank and was a past member of the Milbank Kiwanis Club and the Knights of Columbus. Jim loved spending time with his family and friends at Linden Beach on Big Stone Lake. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, golfing, and having coffee with his friends.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley, Milbank; five children: James and wife Kim, Patrick and wife Stephanie, and Mark and Wendy, all of Milbank; David, of Phoenix, AZ; and Michelle Harstad and husband Garry, rural Revillo, SD; ten grandchildren; his brother, Jack DeFea, and wife Rose, Ft. Pierre, SD; and his sister, Patricia Perret, and husband Pete, Arvada, CO.
His grandparents and parents preceded him in death.
James Edward DeFea was born on February 20, 1934, in Wheaton, MN, the son of Mike and Clara (Patterson) DeFea. He attended Milbank High School for two years and graduated from St. Thomas Academy in St. Paul, MN. Jim graduated from S.D.S.U. in Brookings, SD, with a degree in economics in 1959. He served his country during the Korean Conflict in the U.S. Navy from February 19, 1952, until his honorable discharge on February 18, 1955. He received the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
He was united in marriage to Shirley A. Ellingson on April 22, 1957, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Milbank. Following graduation from S.D.S.U., the couple returned to Milbank where Jim worked with his father, his brother Jack and his uncle Pete DeFea in the DeFea Theatre. He later purchased the theatre from his father and owned and operated it until 1979 when it was sold to Neil and Jenni Bagaus. Jim also owned the American Family Insurance Agency in Milbank for thirty-six years until his retirement in 1996.
He was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Milbank and was a past member of the Milbank Kiwanis Club and the Knights of Columbus. Jim loved spending time with his family and friends at Linden Beach on Big Stone Lake. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, golfing, and having coffee with his friends.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley, Milbank; five children: James and wife Kim, Patrick and wife Stephanie, and Mark and Wendy, all of Milbank; David, of Phoenix, AZ; and Michelle Harstad and husband Garry, rural Revillo, SD; ten grandchildren; his brother, Jack DeFea, and wife Rose, Ft. Pierre, SD; and his sister, Patricia Perret, and husband Pete, Arvada, CO.
His grandparents and parents preceded him in death.