Jim was born to William and Marie (Casey) Dohmen on April 29, 1925 in Colome Township. He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Colome High School in 1943. Following graduation, Jim farmed with his father until he entered the service as a member of the U.S. Army.
He was wounded in Korea in April of 1951 and spent several months in military hospitals until his discharge on November 10, 1952. He received many military commendations including the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Jim took great pride in being a veteran; he was a member of the Colome American Legion, the Winner VFW, the Purple Heart Commanders, and the Disabled American Veterans. He held various leadership positions in those local and state organizations. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Jim was a long-time business owner in Winner, first owning and operating Jim’s Liquor from 1955-1962, then starting a career in real estate in 1959. He owned and operated Dohmen Realty, Inc. for nearly 40 years. Jim served on the South Dakota Real Estate Commission for eight years.
Jim was united in marriage to Lorraine Earll Ruhkamp on March 4, 1970. There is a saying, “Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.” Jim became an instant and very special Dad to three daughters on that day.
Jim enjoyed gardening, rooting for the Cardinals, and special times with his family- especially the Thanksgiving “Annual Meetings” when all the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren got together for several days of family fun. In the early days, he enjoyed local, state and national politics; he was a delegate to the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago.
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