Funeral services for Jake Christman, 78 of Hettinger, will be Nov. 3rd at 10:30 AM at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hettinger. Father Chad Gion will officiate and interment with Full Military Honors will be in the Hettinger Cemetery.

Visitations will be Thursday afternoon, Nov. 2nd from 1 to 6 PM at Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger. Following visitation, a family prayer service will be at 7 PM at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home.

Jake passed from this life early Monday morning Oct. 30th at St. Benedicts Health Center in Dickinson.

Jacob J. "Jake" Christman was born Dec. 25, 1927 to William and Katherine (Ehli) Christman at their farm in Gilstrap Township, Adams Co. He attended the Gilstrap school. At an early age of 13, Jake cared for the homestead until his older brother returned from the service in World War II. He was drafted into the US Army in March of 1946 and served with a Tank Battalion in Arizona.

Returning to his family in Lemmon, SD in Sept. of 1947, Jake began working with various local electricians. During the early years of rural electricity, he helped wire many farms and ranches in Adams, Perkins and Harding Counties and continued to work with electrical jobs throughout his life assisting many local community members with their home projects.

On July 7, 1951, Jake was united in marriage to Doris M. Severson in Hettinger. They began their life together in Lemmon, SD and in the spring of 1952 they began farming near Hettinger where he continued to work for local electricians and White's Hardware. In 1957 they purchased a farmstead 7 miles northeast of Hettinger where they raised their family of seven children. Besides his family, the farm and ranch was the pride of his life.

Jake particularly loved the livestock side of the farm/ranch operation. Always on top of the cattle market, he bantered in fun with many of the local cattle buyers when it was time to sell his cattle, producing many of the local top calves in the fall. In the early years, Jake enjoyed helping his children show their 4-H cattle. He also enjoyed sports of all types and in his youth had played baseball on the "all Christman" team in Adams County. Later in life Jake took up golf and enjoyed playing in the Lemmon and Hettinger leagues for many years.

He loved visiting his children and especially spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Jake claimed he retired at age 65, but never quit working. He just lost his "position". He will be remembered for his quick Christman wit and humor. He was a member of the Eagles, Elks and the American Legion.

Keeping his memory most near are his wife, Doris of Hettinger; his children, Lauree Christman of Iowa City, IA, Mark "Butch" Christman of Vallejo, CA, Wendy (James) Perea of Denver, CO, Dan Christman, of Hettinger, Dale Christman of Dickinson, Todd Christman and Wade Christman of Hettinger, 16 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren; sisters, Carrie Anderson of Flandreau, SD, Esther Wall of Forest Lake, MN; sisters in law, Blenda Christman of Lemmon and Kate Christman of Mobridge, SD, numerous nieces and nephews and many dear friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, and brothers, John, August and Rhiney Christman.