James "Jim" Deters

James M. “Jim” Deters, age 83 of Sauk Centre, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at his home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 23 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Mark Botzet officiating. Military honors will be by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard following the Mass. Interment will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 24 at Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls, Minnesota.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Parish prayers will be at 4 p.m. followed by a prayer service by the Honor Guard at 6 p.m. Tuesday evening.

James Maurice Deters was born February 4, 1942 in Pearl Lake, Minnesota to Frank and Angeline (Schummer) Deters. He lived his life in the Sauk Centre area growing up on the family farm west of town where his love of farming began.

Jim served a 20-year term in the National Guard with many of those years as an instructor. During that term, he served in the United States Air Force from 1960 to 1963. The military was an important part of his life. Jim was an active member of the American Legion in Sauk Centre. He was Commander for five years and volunteered his time on the honor guard for 15 years.

Jim was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre, lifetime member of the Paul F. Donart VFW Post 2853, and a 45-year member of the American Legion Post 67.

Jim married Mary Brooks on October 26, 1973 and later divorced but to this union 3 girls were born who gave him 6 grandchildren and he was recently blessed with an adopted granddaughter as well. His grandchildren were the light of his life.

He was a very generous and helpful man, always willing to lend a hand whenever someone needed it. You could find him in a tractor during spring planting or harvesting season helping out his friends. Jim worked many different jobs but the ones where he could help others meant a lot to him. He drove a tow truck for Flowers Towing, I-94 Raceway, he had a small lawn mowing service as well as a sewer service. Jim was also a handy man for Koelln Homes for many years.

He looked forward to his daily trips for dice shaking and coffee with the guys at the Ding Dong Cafe as well as his weekly Wednesday night out with the guys. He is going to be deeply missed by all that knew him and loved him.

We would like to give a big Thank You to all who took wonderful care of our father and grandpa these last few months of his life when he needed more care. It is appreciated more than you know.

Survivors include his daughters, Lori Rodeski of Thief River Falls, Donna (Daniel) Geisenhof of Little Falls, and Shelly Witt of Osakis; six grandchildren, Michael, Dominick, Mackenzie, Alexis, Tyler (Bella), and Jerrald; and brothers, Gene Deters of West Union and Thomas (Sharon) Deters of Mesa, Arkansas.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Donna, Mary Moser and Rita Bona; brothers, John, Mike, and Dick Deters, former wife, Mary Deters as well as his companion, Debbie Bromenshenkel.