James “Jim” Frederick Biggs passed away May 28 at St. Benedicts Health Center in Dickinson.
The funeral was held at 10:30 a.m. June 2 at Krebsbach & Kulseth Funeral Service Chapel in Bowman. Burial followed in the Tuttle Cemetery and a Celebration of Jim’s Life at the Marmarth Community Center.
Jim was born Feb. 22, 1931 to Fritz and Thyra (Miller) Biggs in Toledo. Jim grew up in the Toledo and Maumee, Ohio, area. Jim always loved adventure, travel; especially his fishing trips to Canada, swimming and flying airplane. As a young man he ventured to Alaska and worked as a fire fighter for the Forest Service enhancing his passion for flying. Upon return to Ohio via train, Jim met a man that invited him to move to western North Dakota and promised to secure him a ranch job, if he chose to leave Ohio. Jim did decide to move from Ohio to North Dakota, where he met his life’s soul mate, Iris Varney. He rode horseback across country several miles to visit with Iris. They married on April 30, 1955 and Jim was a loving devoted husband and father to their five children, Melody, Scott, Dawn, Shane and Jamey.
In the early years of marriage, Jim, Iris, Melody & Scott all lived in Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Arizona as Jim worked for various ranchers and auto dealerships around the country. Later they all moved back to Montana a second time to enable Jim to work on a ranch, when Dawn was born. After moving to North Dakota for the third time, Jim and Iris owned a meat locker plant at the time Shane was born.
Over the years, Jim and Iris owned and operated several other businesses including a café, trucking business, construction business, and Jim also broke several horses in his lifetime. Jim also worked in the oil industry in North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. Jim did pursue his flying passion and successfully obtained his private pilot’s license. He also worked in the flying industry for Lynch Flying Service in Billings, Mont. Jim loved family and he predicted for years that Jamey would be born later in their marriage. He, Iris and Jamey lived in Alaska (where he worked in a gold mine) and Arizona for a period of time. Jim accepted Jesus as his Savior, cherished his wife Iris, loved all of his family members, enjoyed all animals; especially horses and dogs, and he liked to visit with everyone.
He will be greatly missed by his children and spouses: Melody (deceased) (Jim) Huggins, Rapid City, S.D.; Scott Biggs, Dickinson; Dawn (Bill) Battest, Rhame; Shane (Janelle) Biggs, Bowman; Jamey (Scott) Parsons, Williston; his grandchildren: Lacey (Adam) Bodensteiner; Brittany Huggins; Michael (Amber) Battest, Autumn (Mike) Criswell; Marshall (Bobbi) Battest; Jordan, Riley and Logan Biggs; Tanner Tuchscherer and Harper Parsons; his great grandchildren: Ellery and Linden Bodensteiner; Ashton and Carson Battest; Landon, Kyndree and Lyric Criswell; Jase and Halle Battest; his brother: Larry Biggs; four sisters-in-law and brother-in-law: Almeda (Alden) Wolfgram; Jean (Larry-deceased) Buchholz; Vera Kruger; Delbert Kruger; Kassie (Kermit) Kruger, all of his nieces and nephews, his extended family and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Fritz and Thyra (Miller) Biggs; his wife, Iris; his brother: Norman (Tod) Biggs; his daughter: Melody Huggins; his father-in-law and mother-in-law: John and Eunice (McGee) Varney; and his brother-in-law, Larry Buchholz.