Clarence "Jimmy" Hohm, 92, of Huron and former rural Yale resident, passed away on Thursday, August 11, 2016, at the Violet Tschetter Memorial Home. His funeral service was held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, August 13th at Bethel Church, rural Yale. Interment was in the church cemetery, with a lunch following in the church dining room.
Clarence "Jimmy" Hohm was born September 4, 1923, to Ludwig and Susanna Hohm. He attended country school in Liberty Township and went to Huron High School, where he excelled in football, music, speech, and debate, graduating with Honors in 1942. He studied at Grace Bible Institute in Omaha, Nebraska, for one semester before deciding to devote his life to farming and being a lay minister. On June 18, 1944, Jimmy Hohm married the love of his life, Ida Hofer, at Bethel Mennonite Brethren Church, where he was a member.
Hohm, a successful farmer in the Yale area for 72 years, farmed with his son, Ludwig for the last 40 years. He was one of the first farmers during the early 1950s to irrigate in the area. In 1957 he was named Outstanding Young Farmer by the Jaycees, and in the late 1980s won the District Soil Conservation contest. Jim was director of the South Dakota Wheat Growers for six years, and served as President of the Central South Dakota Cattlemen's Association.
In addition to farming, Jim was very involved in various religious endeavors. For the first ten years of their marriage, Jim and Ida served as church youth leaders. Over the years, Jim was a lay minister at many area churches that were temporarily without ministers. He also taught Sunday School at Bethel Mennonite Church for 70+ years, and was recognized in 1989 by the South Dakota Sunday School Association as Teacher of the Year. Jim was active in the Mennonite Brethren Conference, serving for six years as Central District chairman. He was instrumental in the construction of Morningside Chapel in Huron, where he was the lay minister from 1950 to 1955. From 1958-1971, Jim could also be heard on the KIJV religious radio program, "Wonderful Words of Life".
One of Jimmy's most important contributions to the community was his effective leadership and active participation in James Valley Christian School. He not only served as chairman of the school board for ten years, but also enjoyed acting in fourteen JVCS dinner theatre productions. For the multiple talents exhibited throughout his life, Jimmy Hohm was awarded the 1991 Humanitarian Freedom Award by The Daily Plainsman of Huron.
Jimmy took great pride in his 72 year marriage, his three sons and daughter, nine grandchildren, and sixteen great grandchildren. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Ida Hohm; son, Phillip Hohm, rural Huron, SD; son, Dr. Charles (fiancé Marlene Sawatsky) Hohm, Alpine, CA; daughter, Bethel (Chris) Serck, Hudson, SD; son, Ludwig (Julie) Hohm, rural Yale, SD; sister-in-law, Marguerite Hohm, Rapid City, SD; brother-in-law, Ben (Agnes) Hofer, Huron, SD; sister-in-law, Goldie Wedel, Carpenter, SD; brother-in-law, Sam Wollmann, Huron, SD; grandchildren and great grandchildren, Amy & Jeff Kempf (Ellie, Jacob), Huron, SD; Anna-Marie & Stephen Pelletier (Annaliese, Jillian), Alpine, CA; Dr. Jonathan & Sarah Hohm (Mason), Alameda, CA; Alexandra & Matthew Sadowski (Jackson), Temecula, CA; Joshua and Kasanda Serck, Fairfax, VA; Dr. Luke & Stephanie Serck (Sydnee, Evan, Isaac), Yankton, SD; Mary & Cory Hughes (Jack, Caroline, Hazel), Sioux Falls, SD; Jesse & Katie Hohm (Elaina, Alexandra, Audri, Elizabeth), Huron, SD; and Susanna and Dan Strutz, Mountain Lake, MN. Jim also leaves behind Norma's loving family. He also cherished his many nephews and nieces.
Jim was preceded in death by his father and mother, Ludwig and Susanna Hohm, three brothers and four sisters, Matilda (Henry) Tschetter, Viola Hohm (two years old), Dr. Theodore (Martha) Hohm, Dr. Paul (Carol) Hohm, Olga (Dr. William) Pfautz, Ewald Hohm, and Ella (Roger) Bradfield; his daughters-in-law, Vicki Hohm, Linda Hohm, and Norma Hohm; brother-in-law, Palmer Wedel; sisters-in-law, Mary Wollmann and Elsie Hofer; nephews, Dr. Tom Tschetter, Bill Pfautz, Paul Wedel; and niece, Marsha Hohm-Paladino.
Special thanks from the Hohm family to Dr. Robert Hohm and the staff at the Violet Tschetter Memorial Home for the attentive care given to our father.