James D. Dachtler

James “Doc” Dachtler was born April 30, 1947 in Lansing Michigan. He was born to Wilbert and Delores (Spears) Dachtler. He lived in Lansing until 1953 when the family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. They moved to Corona, SD in 1959 then to Rapid City, SD in 1963 where he graduated from Rapid City Central in 1966. He attended Sioux Falls College and graduated in 1970 with a degree in drama. Doc loved playing football, was a heavy weight wrestler in High School and College; and to this day was an avid Texas Football fan. He was an excellent fast pitch softball player and enjoyed golf in his leisure years. Doc was a wanderer by nature and travelled all over the U.S. including Hawaii where he was a counselor for the YMCA for about a year and a half. In 1971 he went to Berkeley Seminary and enjoyed the free life of California. He lived in Point Roberts, Washington and in the late 70’s moved to Austin, Texas, where he worked construction and met and married Jody Saari. His family has lived in Houston and Austin until this day. Doc always said the best thing he ever did was marry Jody and gave birth to their son Zach. To this day, to talk to Doc for more than 15 minutes you will hear everything about his son, his exploits and his life. Zach was born, April 13, 1989 in Austin TX and spent the days with dad and mom doing all the things that a family does. Doc coached his basketball team, was a broadcaster at his football games and went to all the Choir concerts over the high school years. He always managed to set aside at least a little time and money to take the two of them on road trips around the country, touring the great sites and visiting family. One of Doc’s principal highlights was listening to his son become a very competent pianist and see him start college as a music major in piano performance. Doc worked for 30 years as a general contractor in the central Texas area, working everything from new apartment construction to minor home remodels. Over the last three years Doc retired and travelled all around this country again, always returning in the winter to Austin, his son and his beloved Texas gulf coast. The one overriding purpose of Doc was very simple. He loved his son, and family and he wanted to make people happy! He was a great storyteller and conversationalist and was always up for listening to anyone who wanted to tell him their story. Doc is survived by his son Zach of Austin, Zach’s mother Jody of Minnesota, his father Wilbert. Brother Daryl (Cecelia) Dachtler, sister Lisa (J) Epp of Henderson Nebraska, 2 nieces and their families, 3 nephews and 7 great nieces and nephews. He valued his friends, his incredible zest for life and arguing politics with anyone who would argue back. He will be missed, he is loved! Memorial can be sent to First Baptist Church, Viborg, SD, a church home that loved and supported him these last three years, especially during the last six months while he fought to recover from the effects of West Nile. Memorial sent to: First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 427 Viborg, SD 57070