James Dean “Jim” Fiedler, age 75, longtime Clark area teacher and coach, died at his home early Tuesday morning, December 8, 2015 of a sudden illness. Visitation will be held Friday, December 11, 2015 from 5-8PM at the Furness Funeral Home Chapel at Clark and will continue after 9AM at the church on Saturday. Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 10AM at the St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark with The Reverend Mindy Ehrke officiating. Condolences may be left at Furness Funeral Home.
Jim was born on a farm near Java, SD on April 16, 1940, the son of Oscar and Olga (Schnaible) Fiedler. He attended the East Ryan Country School near Java and then Java High School, graduating in 1958. While in high school he was active in several sports, a true Java Jet, and also was homecoming king. Following high school he attended and graduated from Northern State College in Aberdeen with a degree in Education.
On September 10, 1961 he was united in marriage to Darlene Schuh at Bowdle. Jim finished his degree at Northern and then in the fall of 1962 they moved to Clark. He taught and coached at Clark for nearly the next 40 years, mentoring hundreds of students over the years, and actually began with the third generation of students. He coached in the Junior High and the High School at Clark, coaching track, cross country, basketball, football and life! During his tenure at Clark, he returned to his education and earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling from South Dakota State. Among subjects he taught was history, government and social studies. He also was a class advisor and C-Club advisor, a Clark Comet, although his Java Jets or his sons, Dell Rapids Quarriers, were never far off of his mind. During the summer months, he enjoyed painting and actually had continued painting home interiors until just recently.
Preceding him in death were his parents and his wife Darlene in January of 2003 and sister and brother in law, Delores & Orville Walz.
Grateful for having shared in his life are his children, Todd Fiedler of Clark, Doug (Mary) Fiedler of Dell Rapids and Lori Fiedler of Sioux Falls, his three grandchildren, Josh, Haley and Hannah Fiedler all of Dell Rapids and two brothers, Oscar J. (Carol) Fiedler of Aberdeen and Arlyn (Sylvia) Fiedler of Bowdle and nieces and nephews.
Memorials would be appreciated in his memory in lieu of flowers to the Clark Lions Club c/o David Warkenthien, Clark, SD 57225 or the Clark Sports Booster Club c/oDave Boehnke, Clark, SD 57225 Please honor the families requests. Thank-you.
