JAMES "JIMMY" DENNIS SLUTZ Belle Fourche, SD

Memorial Graveside Service of Remembrance for James D. "Jimmy" Slutz, 49, of Belle Fourche, SD will be Monday, December 6, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. Envoy Tim North will officiate and Military Honors will be provided by the Belle Fourche Honor Guard.

James Dennis Slutz was born on March 25th, 1955 in South Bend, Indiana to James and Ethel (French) Slutz. The family moved to Washington in 1960. He grew up in Yakima and Spokane Washington, the oldest of seven children.

Jimmy played baseball on both Little League and Salvation Army teams and was a boy scout. He loved to fish and hunt with his Dad and brothers and later with his wife. He worked as a Salvation Army truck driver and at the Bayley's blue jean factory and also as a CNA. He started driving trucks in 1980 and traveled extensively, visiting every state in the country except for two. Jimmy joined the United States Marine Corps in 1972 and was stationed at Twenty-nine Palms and Camp Pendleton, CA. He served six years on both active duty and in the reserves. He married Thi Thu Fabian on November 2nd, 1977. They had no children of their own but he deeply loved his eight nieces and nephews, especially Elizabeth. They all spent lots of time fishing, going to Wal Mart, and visiting Story Book Island. He was a loving Uncle to them all. He was also a solid friend to all who knew him and helped anyone who needed it.

Jimmy Slutz passed from this life at his home with his family by his side on December 1, 2004 in Belle Fourche.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Thi Thu Slutz, his mother, Ethel Slutz, his three brothers, Philip and wife Maria Slutz of Springfield MO, Tim Slutz of Riverton WY, and Dan Slutz of Belle Fourche; his two sisters, Pamela and husband Kent Popham and Becky Slutz, all of Belle Fourche, SD; five nieces, three nephews, one great niece and one great nephew and many friends and fellow truck drivers. He was preceded in death by his father, one brother and his grandparents. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred by the family.

Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Funeral Home of the Northern Hills of Belle Fourche, SD.