James "Jim" Robert Stanage, 94, of Rapid City SD died July 24, 2016 at the David M Dorsett Healthcare Center in Spearfish, SD, after an extended battle with heart disease and related complications.

Vigil will be at 7 PM on Thursday, July 28, 2016 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Spearfish with visitation one hour prior. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 AM on Friday, July 29 at the church. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to benefit Hospice of the Northern Hills.

James was born March 24, 1922, in Yankton, SD, to George and Mabel (Fackelman) Stanage of Yankton, SD. He grew up on a farm near Gayville and Yankton, SD. He attended high school in Gayville and Yankton, SD, graduating in 1940. He loved playing baseball, basketball, and football in high school and college and for many years after as an amateur athlete.

In the fall of 1940, he began attending the University of South Dakota before volunteering for the U.S. Army in 1942 and then was assigned to attend the University of Pennsylvania, School of Engineering, while in service. During WW II he served in combat in the Battle of Okinawa.

He worked as a civil engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for 34 years until his retirement in 1978. Most of his career was spent on the building of the dams on the Missouri River that are located in South Dakota: Oahe, Fort Randall, Gavins Point and Big Bend. He also worked for five years on the U.S. Anti-Ballistic Missile System in North Dakota and the building of a hospital for the U.S. Airforce in Cheyenne, WY. He and his wife, Ruthe (Isaacson), had lived for the past 18 years in Rapid City, SD.

He was a long time active member of the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, the Elks Club, and the Izaak Walton League. He was an avid participant in both hunting and fishing and took up golf later in life. He also spent much time doing sports with his children and in attending and supporting their various sporting events.

He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Ruthe; two daughters, Janet Sturm, Cologne, MN and Catherine Rubin, Spearfish, SD , and two sons, James Jr. Salem, OR and Michael Cheyenne, WY; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.

Arrangements are under the care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapels and Crematory Service of Spearfish. Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com