James "Jim" Richard Banning, born July 16, 1947, passed away on October 3, 2024, in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Jim grew up in Lemmon, South Dakota, where he spent his early childhood and high school years playing pickup baseball games in the neighborhood and talking baseball stats with anyone he could find. After having way too much fun in college, Jim set out into the workforce and continually reinvented himself, working in oil and gas, as a realtor, general contractor, delivery driver, the list goes on.

Jim raised Tom and Brittany in Elizabeth, Colorado, while Deb was raising Megan in South Dakota and pursuing her master’s in education.

In the summer of 1996, the high school sweethearts reconnected and married on September 6, 1998, at Sylvan Lake with their kids by their side. Jim and Deb spent 15 years in Denver, Colorado, before moving back and eventually retiring in Hill City, South Dakota.

Jim was ceaselessly proud of his kids and grandkids, never sparing an opportunity to tell them how much he loved them and bragging them up to anyone who would listen.

Jim loved to spin a yarn and was fiercely optimistic he could fix anything. There was no lawnmower, wall, or sink safe from his tinkering.

An avid sports fan, it was the highlight of his year participating in his son's fantasy football league. His other hobbies included yelling at refs, golfing, bowling, and taking Vitamin C (chocolate) to cure any ailment.

Jim is predeceased by his parents, Richard and Kathryn Banning, and younger sister, Sandra "Sandy" Moyer. He is survived by his wife, Deb, his children Megan (Berkeley), Tom (Stephanie), and Brittany (Chris), his five grandchildren, Jackson, Landon, Luke, Zack, and Emerson, his sisters Rita (Jim), and Norma (Neil), and his nieces and nephews.

We have had the immeasurable honor of being loved by Jim and will miss him always.