Jim Pfeiffer: 1951-2022
James Wesley Pfeiffer of Sioux Falls, S.D. and The Villages, Fla., 70, died unexpectedly at his home in Florida on Jan. 7, 2022. The son of Ruben and Hertha (Ulmer) Pfeiffer, he was born on April 1, 1951. Jim’s life was blessed by three children from his first marriage: Angie, Robbie and Tony. He was united in marriage to his life partner and best friend, Pam Bierwagen, on April 27, 1995. They were a great team in both work and life and spent 31 years together.
Jim was raised in Freeman, S.D. He graduated from Freeman High School in 1969. He then attended South Dakota State University and graduated from the University of South Dakota with a bachelor’s of science in education in 1973 and a masters of business administration in 1976. Jim also received a certificate from The Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin in 1978. In 1980 he became a Certified Public Accountant in the state of South Dakota. Jim taught college-level classes at Westmar College in Le Mars, Iowa from 1976 to 1979 and at Sioux Falls College from 1980 to 1982. He then entered into private accounting and continued in this career until his retirement as lead partner of his firm in 2008.
In addition to his primary career, Jim was always working on multiple side projects. People often came to him with business ideas because he loved challenges and developing new plans. He worked diligently to help make his own and other peoples’ dreams a reality. Up until the day before he died, you could find him with his paper and pen planning out his next venture (or two or three) and making one of his many to-do lists. The most notable of these projects include: Mainstay Suites Hotel, Pair-a-Dice Pheasant Ranch, an Erbert’s and Gerbert’s location, and four Taco John’s franchise locations.
Jim had a lifelong love of the outdoors. He enjoyed hunting and fishing from a young age. He hunted ducks, pheasants, geese, antelope, turkeys, wild boar, and some memorable rabbits and squirrels that he attempted to skin and cook himself as a young boy. He had a large fishing tackle collection and many fishing rigs and boats over the years. He also enjoyed hiking and visiting state and national parks with his family.
Jim loved to travel, especially by camper. He and his family traveled on many road trips, which he would carefully chart out for months ahead of time. Some of his favorite trips were to Wyoming, Colorado, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and Alaska. But despite all these travels, his favorite place on earth was his home state of South Dakota, which he often referred to as “God’s Country.”
Jim enjoyed gardening, golfing, socializing with friends, driving his golf cart throughout his snowbird home of The Villages, and cheering on his favorite team, the Minnesota Vikings. He was also very proud of his kids and grandkids and loved teaching them the “Pfeiffer Way.”
Jim’s larger-than-life personality and passion for life are impossible to put into words. Known as “Friendly Jim Pfeiffer,” he made friends wherever he went. He struck up conversations with anyone he happened to sit down near and always came away with interesting stories. He was a generous man who practiced gratitude and dedication in all that he did. He will be greatly missed by many.
Grateful for having shared his life of 70 years are his wife, Pam Pfeiffer, Sioux Falls, and his children and grandchildren: Angie (Louis) Pfeiffer Bedard (Hutchinson, Minn.) and their children Celia and Ellie; Robbie Pfeiffer (St. Cloud, Minn.); and Tony (Katie) Pfeiffer (Asheville, N.C.) and their children Julia, Diana, and Emily. He was preceded in death by his parents Ruben Pfeiffer and Hertha Pfeiffer Mayer.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday Jan. 22 from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Museum of Visual Materials, 500 N Main Ave, Sioux Falls, SD.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Pheasants Forever, or Call to Freedom.
