Barbara Jeanne James, 74, died on Saturday, February 2 ^nd at home on the family farm near Lily, South Dakota.

Visitation will be Thursday from 5 – 7 PM at the Coester Funeral Home; a small funeral service will be at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Bristol, South Dakota at 10:30 on Friday.  Following the service, we invite all to a celebration of life at the Galley in Webster, South Dakota at 12:00 PM.  The burial at Our Savior's West Cemetery Cottonwood Township in Clark County will take place at a later date

Barbara (Wigdahl) James was born on November 17, 1944, in Britton, South Dakota to Fern and William Wigdahl of Langford, South Dakota. She was educated at Langford High School and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics from South Dakota State University. While attending SDSU, she met and later married Frank James on August 13, 1966. They have four children and 11 grandchildren.

Barb was a lifelong teacher. She taught in Dell Rapids, Waubay, and Langford. She retired from teaching in 2008. When she started teaching, her classes were called Home Economics.  They soon shifted to being called Family and Consumer Sciences. She also taught a variety of science and art classes.

Barb was a seamstress who designed and sewed her own wedding dress; later, she sewed most of her children's clothing.  In addition, she was a voracious knitter; whenever new babies were born within the community and family, they received a hand-knit sweater, blanket, and hat.  She was an artist who loved rosemaling, pencil drawing, painting with watercolors, and coloring with her grandkids.  She enjoyed many different crafts and hobbies including cross-stitching, needlepoint, welding, and calligraphy.

She is survived by her husband, Frank James; her children: Frank (Kimberly) James, Brian (Carrie) James, Jeanne (Kip) Hansen and Luke (Stephanie) James; and her grandchildren: Brandon, Andrew, Joel, Alyssa, Isabel, Colton, Alana, Lawson, Wyat, Sawyer, and Auby.

Arrangements have been entrusted with Coester Funeral Home, Webster.

www.coesterfuneralhome.net.