Dr. James Ford Cole, age 83, of Huron, passed away peacefully with his wife by his side at Avantara-Huron on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. He lived a full and rewarding life.

He will be interred with military honors in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Fergus Falls, Minnesota this summer.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Huron Regional Medical Center Foundation .

James Ford Cole was born March 15, 1940, to Evelyn and V. Ford Cole in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He graduated from Fargo Central High School in 1958. He continued his education at the University of North Dakota graduating in 1962. As a young man, Jim decided to travel the world and did so while doing work on ships. He then continued his education at Northwestern University Medical School graduating in 1968. Jim completed his internships and residencies in Connecticut, Chicago, Denver and South and Central California. Following an internship in Orthopaedic medicine, Jim served in the Army Medical Command as a field surgeon during the Vietnam War.

After his service in the Army, he practiced as an Orthopaedic surgeon for many years in California. He was instrumental in building the Mammoth Lake Hospital and Urgent Care in Salinas, California. While in California, Jim enjoyed flying his airplane and sailing his boat. He also enjoyed downhill skiing and golfing.

Jim yearned for smaller town life and searched out a better place to live and work. In 1997, Jim and Kim moved to Huron, South Dakota, where he continued his Orthopaedic practice. Jim loved living in Huron with opportunities to serve a close community with traditional values and many outdoor sporting activities. Jim had great pride in his work as a surgeon and was dedicated to successful outcomes for every patient.

As a surgeon, Jim had met many medical professionals across the United States, and knew exactly whom to call when faced with a medical challenge.

He also had a great curiosity for life and ideas and had a great interest in others. He was a wonderful and generous husband, brother, uncle, stepfather, and close friend to many over the course of his life. He will be greatly missed.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Evelyn J. Countryman and Virgil Ford Cole.

He is survived by his wife, Kimberlee Cole; daughters, Amanda Greer and her children, Samuel and Jemma and Kathleen Hanrahan and her husband, Martijn Kuypers; sisters, Susan DeJong and Deborah (David) Cook; niece, Sarah Cook; nephew, Nathaniel (Kathryn) Malen and their children, Addison and Lucas.

Thank you to the staff at Stoneybrook Suites for the care they provided to Jim and to Avantara Nursing Home who cared for Jim until his passing.

A very special thanks to Jim's physician and friend, Dr. Robert Hohm, who provided such excellent care for Jim.