Dr. James Reynolds

Dr. James Reynolds

Sioux Falls - On Thursday, November 12, 2020, Dr. James R. Reynolds bid a final farewell to his loved ones as he was called to heaven and is now reunited with God, family, friends and former colleagues and patients. While Jim's work here is done, his love and legacy will continue to serve the community for generations to come.

James Reynolds married his high school sweetheart, Debby Darroch, in August of 1964. Together they lived, laughed, loved, surprised and spoiled each other silly. For 56 years, the strength of their bond shone through in all of their many, many endeavors.

A lifelong resident of South Dakota and graduate of Augustana College, Jim began his medical education at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine where he graduated first in his class. As the USD Medical School was only a two-year program at that time, he transferred to The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (class of 1969) for the final two years of medical school education. After completing medical school, he remained at Johns Hopkins for his residencies in general, thoracic, and cardiovascular surgery. Dr. Reynolds had an opportunity to remain at Johns Hopkins with an offer of a career in academic medicine, but his mission was always to bring his education home to where he began his medical career in South Dakota in 1975.

Jim was a pioneer in bringing cardiovascular surgery to the state of South Dakota. His leadership was instrumental in the founding of North Central Heart in 1981. In 2001, Dr. Reynolds was a significant influence in the establishment of the Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota which quickly became ranked among the very best heart centers in the country. As a true visionary in the advancement of medicine, Dr. James Reynolds was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dr. Reynolds served on numerous boards including the Avera Health Board, Sioux Valley Hospital Board, DakotaCare, and the South Dakota State Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners. He is a past President of the American College of Surgeons, South Dakota State Medical Association, and North Central Heart Institute, and continued to serve on the South Dakota Health Care Commission for many years.

During all of those very busy years, Jim and Debby also raised a large and happy family including Dr. Branden Reynolds (Catherine), Amy Reynolds Minchin (James), Bethany Reynolds McKenzie (Matt), Timothy James Reynolds (Amanda), AnnMarie Reynolds Kreuger (Nathan) and countless dogs! He was also the proud grandfather of 12 wonderful grandchildren who fiercely adored him.

Jim spent his days in the operating room and his evenings at the farm. He could go from a business suit to wrangler jeans faster than you can say, "John Deere!" His hobby farm brought him great joy throughout the years and was the perfect getaway for countless family gatherings, opportunities to learn from neighboring farmers and car rides to check on the mile-long shelterbelt he and the family planted by hand. Never one to thrive on idle time, Jim was even more than a father, a surgeon and a farmer. He was a hunter, a fisherman, a collector, a sailor, a world-traveler, a Nascar fan, a dog lover, a dedicated philanthropist, a mentor, a life-long learner, a prankster, the BEST joke-teller, a consummate host, and the greatest friend-maker. Jim's love for people was so genuine and insatiable. When encountering a stranger, he would commonly ask, "So where is home for you?" And so, yet another new friendship began.

Above all else, Jim was the most humble and gracious gentleman; never one to put himself above anyone else. He would likely frown upon our touting of his accomplishments and accolades, but we (his children) are proud of him and everything he embodied.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Rose Reynolds and his brothers, Roger and Charles (Chub) Reynolds. And while we celebrate their reunion, Jim will be so dearly missed by his wife, Debby, and their 5 children, spouses, grandchildren, and his beloved hunting dog, Chloe.

We choose to honor his lifelong commitment to health by respecting the current public health conditions. We are forgoing an in-person visitation and public celebration of life ceremony and instead hosting a live-streamed funeral service on Tuesday, November 17th and 2:00 PM CST. A link to the service will be posted on his tribute page at millerfh.com. We would be so honored to read about your personal connections and memories of our father by writing a comment on his virtual guestbook, also found on his tribute page.

It gives us great peace to know that his life of steadfast faith has led him home to the loving arms of his Heavenly Father.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to:

The James Reynolds, MD Scholarship Endowment at the Sanford Medical School, 1110 North Dakota Street, Vermillion, SD 57069

Please reference fund ID: 2000151

www.millerfh.com