James Garness, age 82 of Madison, passed away suddenly on February 27, 2023 at his home.

At this time, there will be no services held. Online register book is at www.rustandweilandfuneral.com. Arrangements are entrusted with Rustand-Weiland Funeral Chapel.

James Richard Garness was born July 6, 1940 in Huron, SD to Richard & Gladys (Anderson) Garness. He attended schools in Huron and graduated from Huron High School in 1958. He attended the University of South Dakota and Huron College.

James was united in marriage with Sandra Knutson on January 20, 1962 in Huron SD. They moved to Los Angeles, CA, where they both were employed by Bank of America.

James was a Business Administration manager for over 40 years in California working at the Bank of America and Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. He then moved to Stockton, CA where he was manager of California State Employees Credit Union; Lincoln Family Medical Group; Drivan, Tabak, Winger and Ringhoff which is a professional law corp. At one time, the law firm was a partner with the famed attorney Melvin Belli of San Francisco. In 2001, he retired from Heritage Eye Associates of Stockton, CA.

After his retirement in 2001, he spent considerable time traveling from California back to South Dakota to visit his mother living in Sioux Falls. He returned to live in South Dakota in 2004 and moved to Howard, where his mother was a patient at Good Samaritan Center.

James is survived by his wife-Sandra; two daughters-Kenna (Rodney) Starks of Stockton, CA and Krysta (Bohlen) Dennis of Perris, CA; sister-Gail Garness of Dillon, CO; nephew-Scott (Andrea) Still of
Princeton, NJ; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

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