James Reimers

June 7, 1937 ~ February 1, 2025
“Jim’s service will be livestreamed below at 10:00 am, Friday, February 7, 2025
James (Jim) P. Reimers was born on June 7, 1937, to Ehler and Sadie (Mundhjeld) Reimers of rural Petersburg, ND. He was a baptized member of Lom Lutheran Church and grew up on the farm along with his younger sister, Sylvia. They graduated together from Petersburg High School in 1955. Soon after school, Jim attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and then enlisted with the Air National Guard. He became a talented and accomplished fighter pilot, flying F-101 and 102, F-89, F-4, F-16 and C-130 planes. Jim was given the call sign “Spider” by his fellow pilots because he had rather long legs. He was a very proud member of the Happy Hooligans, earning numerous accolades for his flight skills, alongside his many team members. He was never one to brag or bring any attention to his commendations, he was simply doing his job. But if you could get him to talk about it, there was sure to be a twinkle in his eye as he related his stories. In his more than 30 years of service, Jim spent time in Texas, Alabama, Florida, and West Germany. He retired as Colonel Reimers in 1992.
Jim met his wife Ruth through mutual friends, and they were married in 1981. She matched his love for travel and outdoor adventures, always up for a plane trip to a mountain getaway or any other place he desired to see. He especially loved the Rockies of Montana and Idaho and the Swiss and Austrian Alps. Camping and hiking trips were often centered around what remote mountain landing strip he could find for his Cessna, and they just took it from there! Ruth artfully filled DOZENS of scrapbooks of their world-wide travels. As time and age caught up with them, they traded mountains for menus, seeking out new or unusual places to eat or enjoy a glass of good wine. Medora and Minnesota were closer destinations to fulfill their still adventurous spirits.
Jim was also a great photographer, capturing nature in exquisite detail, including wildflowers, insects, birds and the beauty of winter frost. He spent time after retirement from the Guard doing aerial photography for the North Dakota FSA-ASCS. His home is dotted with framed photos of mountain vistas or bustling cities or personal shots of his Ruth. Tragically, Jim’s spirit was crushed four years ago when his Ruth passed away. He has missed her deeply every day since.
Jim was a quiet, gentle, and kind man, not much of a talker but always an observer. In his last few years, he loved communing with nature on his deck, feeding and watching his “critters”, the birds and squirrels that practically ate out of his hand. He never wanted to be away from home too long, because they might get hungry! He relished his solitude but always appreciated a visit from special friends and family. His life was full and lived well. He was preceded in death by his parents, his cherished wife, Ruth, and his beloved sister, Sylvia Madson. He is survived by his nephews David (Deb Spaziante) Madson, Steve (Tanya) Madson, and niece Lori (Tory) Hart, great-nephews Adam Hart, Paul Madson, Jake Devine, great-nieces Sadie Madson, Olivia (JD) Downing, Erin (Chris) Byrne, Annie (Matt) Anderson, and Morgan (Calvin Fendrick) Devine, sisters-in-law Esther Grossman, Neomie Morris, and Mary (Mark) Jensen and their families.
Services
Visitation - Friday: February 7, 2025 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center
123 10th Street S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
701-237-6441
www.boulgerfuneralhome.com
Memorial Service - Friday: February 7, 2025 10:00 am
Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center
123 10th Street S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
701-237-6441
www.boulgerfuneralhome.com

Remembering Jim “Spider” today. A sad day as this Happy Hooligan fighter pilot flies his final flight into the sunset. God speed Jim, God speed.
Jim took Tom Tolman & I up for a flight from West Fargo a long time ago to look for a train NW of Detroit Lakes & charged us nothing. I will never forget that!!
E. John Carlson
Spider was a good pilot, a good person and a good friend. May you Rest In Peace!
Spider was a gentle man with a gentle spirit. I enjoyed flying the C-130 with him and will always have a smile on my face when I think of him.
Fly safe, Spider!
Spider was the 178th Fighter Interceptor pilot who went so fast in the air and so slow in his car. RIP, Colonel. He will have plenty of Hooligan friends with him in Heaven.
Jim was a friend to everyone. Great visits over dining hall lunches. A forever remembered Hooligan.
Jim was an absolute. joy to be around, always a smile. I think of him often, usually when I’ve entered a room to find something only to slowly turn around and exit unable to recall what I was after. Yep, think fondly of him frequently. Great person! I’m fortunate to have known and served beside him. Thank You “Spider”.
God bless the memory Col Reimers. What a great leader for the Happy Hooligans. Prayers for comfort to his family.
What a GUY, great person, great friend, best boss anyone could ever ask for! Ruth’s waiting, rest in peace my friend!!
Rod Meyer
Jim and Sylvia were one of a few cousins we had.
I rememer him, coming to our place and bow hunting for gophers , yes with a long bow, and he got quit a few. One I remember , he got one by the back leg and it was hanging in the hole. He was quit a shot.
He also would fly from Fargo , land on Hwy 32 , between Petersburg and Aneta by our farm , my mom was there at the time. She always enjoyed Jim.
RIP
T
Visits with Jim were always pleasant. He was kind, humble, respectful, and fun. I will remember him as one of the numerous airmen who have made being a Happy Hooligan very enjoyable.
Rest In Peace, Spider.
he was humble, kind, respectful.
Jim was a great guy. I got to know him very well when a small group of us formed a glider club comprised of air guard members some 40 years ago. After his retirement I would stop over once in a while to visit and we would have a glass of wine. The last time I was there he told me he missed Ruth every day. But all is well as they are together now. He will be missed by all who knew him.
If we’re lucky a few people enter our lives who stand out as being special. Spider was one of those few for me. All the good descriptors of this gentle man have been used but the trait that struck me most about him was ‘Curious.’ I enjoyed witnessing his wonder at everything in life. And I savored being able to share the C-130 cockpit with such a great man.
Godspeed James
From his days flying at the Hooligans to visiting with him at West Fargo Airport, Jim so impressed me with his ability to be a friend to everyone who approached him. His Cessna 180 was a small mutual connection, since my father had owned a 180 when I was a kid; I spoke with him on several occasions at West Fargo, standing around the plane and recalling my youth with another taildragger in another time. Following his retirement, he became a familiar face to the many general aviation pilots in the area. Sometimes I’d see him at the (now-defunct) North Dakota Air National Guard Credit Union, where he’d offer a smiling face to customers and staff alike. If one might award a plaque for an all-around nice guy, Jim Reimers would have it. He was part of the fabric of the Guard and his time on this planet provided some of the spice that flavored our lives here. Thanks, Jim, for the time you gave to all of us. Godspeed on your new journey.
I am a nephew of “Uncle Jimmy”, I would like to say thank you for all the kind words, I don’t know if I have ever been more proud of anybody in my life as I am of Uncle Jimmy, he was a person that was so humble, polite, to all the people he knew, his funeral today was led by one of the greatest guys in the world, thank you Col. Bill Ziegler you are a good man. I love you for what you did for my family today. Thank you. My Uncle thought the world of you. Uncle Jimmy, I will miss you every day, but I am also glad that you are now resting in peace, please pass on my love to all you are now with, as one day we will all be together again.
Jim and I were paired as a crew for the 1970 William Tell Competition. We flew a lot together the summer and fall of 1970. A gracious, easygoing, unassuming guy. We did well in the competition, and he was a good friend through the years. I came back for several reunions and stayed at his house. Jim was a really great guy, a great pilot, a caring person. We need more like him. Art Jacobson
I worked in the Finance office full time and Jim would stop by to do paperwork and he was just the nicest guy. I also went space available on our C-130 when Jim was the pilot. He was funny because he was always looking for his flight cap. He always treated me with respect and was just a normal great guy. I remember him well.
Spider was one of the finest Officers I ever had the privilege to serve with.