James Orville Pedersen, a long-time Brookings resident who led a life of service to his family, church, university, community and country, died on Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, at United Living Community at age 85.

Jim's lifelong passion, carried out through a 40-year career at South Dakota State University, was to help people find their calling through the pursuit of higher education. He worked as Dean of Student Services and the College of General Registration and was a founder of SDSU's Career and Academic Planning (CAP) Center.  He was one of the longest serving trustees for the SDSU foundation from 1967-2000, and was named an SDSU Distinguished Alumni for outstanding service to education in 2003. Jim was a dedicated supporter of the SDSU Jackrabbits in everything from student housing to athletics to Dairy ice cream. He was Weary Willie for the 50 th annual Hobo Day in 1961, and he rarely missed a football or basketball game.

He was founder, president and chairperson of the South Dakota Teacher Job Fairs and was recognized by the South Dakota Career Planning and Placement association for outstanding leadership in 1992. He also served on the American College Testing (ACT) board of directors for over a decade.

He worked tirelessly to support the First United Methodist Church (FUMC) in Brookings as board member and president of the FUMC Foundation until 2012. He was especially proud of the fund-raising for the FUMC Community Life Center in Brookings. Jim helped to establish a campus ministry at SDSU and also served on the Dakotas United Methodist Foundation from 1999 to 2009.

Jim was born Feb. 22, 1931, in Ruthton, MN, to Leo and Anna (Svendsen) Pedersen, as the eldest of two boys. His parents and younger brother, Curtis, preceded him in death.

From the age of three, he grew up on the Svendsen family farm near Tyler, MN. Being raised during the depression forged Jim's incredible work ethic and commitment to church and community. He and his family were active in 4-H and the Danebod Luthern Church in Tyler. Jim formed lifelong friendships with his classmates at Tyler High School where he graduated in 1949, including his best friends who together were known throughout their lives as the Four Musty Steers.

After high school, Jim enrolled at South Dakota State College (SDSC). During college, he spent several months in India in 1953 as an exchange student through the 4-H International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) program. A long-time supporter of 4-H, Jim received the 4-H Alumni Recognition Award from the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service in 1974.

Jim graduated from SDSC with a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1955. He was a member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), and after graduation entered Officers Basic Training at the Armored School at Fort Knox, KY. He served two years in Germany, patrolling the border between West and East Germany as commander of an armored scout unit. He returned home with a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, launching a lifelong attachment to German motor vehicles.

Jim married MariLyn Jones on Feb. 23, 1957, at First Methodist Church in Huron, SD, and they renewed their wedding vows 50 years later during a sunset ceremony on Po'olenalena Beach on the Hawaiian island of Maui on June 18, 2007. Jim and Lyn had four children, Brad (Kathy) Pedersen of Minneapolis, MN; Cindy Pedersen of Brookings; Joel (Jean) Pedersen of Lincoln, NE; and Jana (Chris) Petersen of Lafayette, CO. His grandchildren, who called him Pa-Jim, are Nicole (Ryan) Bartek of Pearland, TX; Jesse Pedersen Carroll of Minneapolis, MN; Kyle Pedersen of Lincoln, NE; and Trevor, Hunter and Kaden Petersen of Lafayette, CO. His great-grandchildren are Cierra and Milo Bartek of Pearland, TX. He truly loved, cared for, and enjoyed his family and kids, and especially grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as evidenced by the thousands of pictures and home movies and videos he took.

Jim and Lyn lived in Brookings while he pursued his master's degree in agricultural education, graduating in 1962. They moved to West Lafayette, Indiana, in 1963 for two years, and Jim received a doctorate in philosophy from Purdue University in 1968. Before he completed his thesis, the family returned to Brookings, where he resumed his career in administration at SDSU until his retirement in 1996.

As a longtime resident of this community, Jim was active in the Kiwanis Club and was a member of the Brookings Foundation board of directors. An avid biker, he survived a serious bicycle accident in 1976 north of Brookings and went on to bicycle across both Nebraska and Iowa later in life.

He will be remembered by his family and friends for his authentic inclusiveness, kindness, optimism, and grace, as well as his ability to genuinely listen, his warm-hearted spirit and that infectious smile.

Funeral services will take place at 2PM on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, at First United Methodist Church, 625 Fifth Street., Brookings, SD  57006. Visitation will be 5-7PM on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, at Eidsness Funeral Home, 1617 Orchard Drive, Brookings, SD  57006.

Donations in Jim's memory may be directed to the James O. Pedersen Family Scholarship Endowment at the SDSU Foundation, 815 Medary Avenue, Brookings, SD 57006.