James Parmely

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James Parmely, 82, of Box Elder and formerly of Miller, passed away Sunday, July 29, 2018 at Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, August 2, 2018 at the First Presbyterian Church, Miller with Rev. Brian Jones officiating. Burial followed at  G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller with military honors. Visitation was held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 1, 2018 with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at the church.

James was born to Ferrill and Mabel (Campbell) Parmely on September 20, 1935, on the Gering Farm Southeast of St. Lawrence/Vayland, SD. He had 11 siblings. He rode his pony to and from school and drove a goat pulling a wagon. He helped on the family farm, worked in the field, fed cattle using a team of horses pulling a sled from which he pitched hay to the cattle, ran hay grinders and worked road construction.

He married Genevieve Gortmaker on December 17, 1955 at the Presbyterian parsonage in Miller, SD. They lived on the family farm most of their lives. In 1957, he joined the Army National Guard of South Dakota Artillery Unit and spent six months at Fort Leonardwood, MO and Fort Chaffee, AK; then attended meetings and two week camps with the Miller National Guard until his honorable discharge in April 1963.

He was a member of and attended the Church of the Nazarene in Miller for many years. He also served on the Hiland Township Board for many years.

He loved draft horses especially his Black Percherons. He participated in many draft horse hitch classes and horse pulls in South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming, and Nebraska; brought home many trophies and belt buckles and even a wool blanket to display and show his pride in his horses. James and his brothers Wayne, Clark, and Otis all loved to attend horse pulls and spent many Sunday afternoons at the family farm pulling the horses and getting them ready just as an athlete would train for a marathon or sporting event.

James loved the farm and over the years milked cows, raised stock cows, pigs and sheep. He ran hay grinders for Elwood Brandenburg, Clark Parmely and Larry Anglin. He also worked for his brother-in-law, Gene Swaney on their farm north of Miller. He was always willing to help his neighbors.

In April of 2000, James and Genevieve moved to the edge of Miller where they brought a lot of the farm with him. James’ shop and tools were always well organized and if a wrench or hammer was lost or misplaced, even if it was in the middle of the hay field, you looked (sometimes walking the whole hay field) until you found it! He knew where all of his tools were even after both the move to Miller and the move to Box Elder in 2014.

He is survived by his wife, Genevieve Parmely of Box Elder; son, Dwayne of Huron; daughter, Wanda (Michael) Irwin of Box Elder; grandson, Douglas Parmely of Sioux Falls; granddaughters: Jacey Irwin and Taylor Irwin of Box Elder; great grandchildren: Nikkoli, Starfire and Blaze of Sioux Falls; sisters: Mildred (Lowell) Engel, Marles Dean, Margaret Starks, and Beth (Jack) Engel; sisters-in-law: Ruby and Ellen; brother-in-law, Gene Swaney; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ferrill Parmely and Mabel (Campbell) Parmely; brothers: Wydell, Wayne, Clark and Otis; sisters: Viola Ford and Lenarda Swaney; brothers–in-law: Dick Starks, Junior Ford, and Roger Dean; sister-in-law, Natalee Parmely; nephews: Surn Starks, Crain Starks, Lyle Ford, and Frankie Spitzka; nieces: Terrill (Starks) Hendershot, Lori Swaney, and Karen Spitzka.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with James' arrangements.