James Lightfield Jr.

James Lightfield Jr., age 70, of Faith, SD, passed away on Monday, March 20, 2023 at the IHS Hospital in Eagle Butte, SD.
Funeral services for James were held on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at the Faith Community Center in Faith, SD.  Mike Walters officiated and following a luncheon, burial with military honors took place at the Monument Hill Cemetery near the Ben Ash Monument west of Maurine, SD.  
James Edward “Chapa Ska” Lightfield Jr. passed away on March 20, 2023 with his wife Charmagne and son Troy by his side.  Jim “Whitey” was born May 18, 1952 to James Edward Lightfield Sr. & Bernice Dorothy Condon in Dupree, SD. He was raised on the family ranch at Red Scaffold where he loved riding horses and being with cousins and friends. He attended school in Red Scaffold, Eagle Butte and Idaho. His sophomore year he moved to Faith with his family and attended Faith High School, graduating in May 1971.
While in high school he started dating a little freckled face country girl he called “his little Unca-Cheska”,  Bobbie Charmagne Price, whom he married on July 9, 1971. We made our home in Faith, SD and later that year on November 28, welcomed our first precious baby boy Troy Edward. Later the next year Jim was away at basic training in Ft. Leonard Wood and on KP duty, when on November 22, 1972 we welcomed our second precious baby boy. After I made several attempts to reach Jim to let him know his second son was born he called back the next day and was so happy with the news. We discussed names and I thought we agreed on Travis Robert. When he came home I said “meet your son Travis Robert” and he said “I thought we named him Travis William”, either way was fine since my dad’s name was Robert William.
After the boys were born and Jim completed Advanced Individual Training, we moved to Maryland where Jim was stationed at Ft. Meade. In Maryland we lived in Sevren and Glen Bernie where Jim always had a second job. After his discharge from the Army in 1974 we moved back to South Dakota and Jim began working at Ft. Meade Veterans hospital in Sturgis as a nurses aid. It was there that we built our first home together and lived for 12 years.
While at Ft. Meade he received a commendation for being shot at while taking down a patient. He played a lot of cribbage and pool while working on 3 South Lockward at Ft. Meade. He enjoyed taking the boys fishing and camping with friends, so many great times. On February 15, 1985, our precious baby girl Takayla Marie was born. Jim couldn’t be happier with his “Babes” Lightfield.   
In 1986 Jim found a new job and we moved back to Faith, SD – the boys said they were not going! Jim worked for the CRST Tribe as a game warden and did some shingling jobs. He later took a position at IHS as a custodian and driver. He racked up so many miles transporting patients to appointments. When they got cell phones he would call and I would ask, “Where you headed today?” – Rapid City, Pierre, Sioux Falls, Bismark, Denver, Omaha, Rochester, Minneapolis – so many places this could be a song….I’ve been everywhere, man, crossed the desert’s bare, man!”  On stormy days I’d ask, “How are the roads?” He’d say, “Paved all the way!”   Smart ass! Forgive me lord!
Jim loved to spend his spare time hunting and fishing, beating everyone at cribbage, playing pool, and telling jokes.  He also loved beading and working on wood projects for his family and friends.
Jim Lightfield is survived by his loving wife Bobbie Charmagne, his sons Troy (Sarah), Travis (Crystal) and his daughter Takayla (Jacob).  His grandchildren Braden, Shae, Reina, Samantha, Megan, Felix, and Charlie, and one great grandchild, Mordecai, and his beloved little four-legged friend, Hanky. His brother Ron Eagle Chasing, and sisters Kay (Jerry) Palmer, Jo Thompson, Angel Kennedy, Gary (brother-in-law), and Karen, Val (Sister-in-law) and Doug, and several nieces and nephews.
He is proceeded in death by his parents Jim and Bernice Lightfield, brother Pat Eagle Chasing, and Dale Lightfield and in-laws Bob and Earleen Price. Jim to some, Whitey to many, and baby Jim to one.

The Pioneer Review

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Philip, SD 57567
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