James E. Barnes
Born March 30, 1937 in Wagner, South Dakota. Died September 22, 2009 in Sturgis, South Dakota as a result of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

A thirty-year resident of Huron, South Dakota, Jim Barnes graduated from Huron High School in 1956. He was later inducted into the Huron High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He attended and played varsity basketball at the University of Colorado and was graduated from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1960. He received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wyoming in 1963.

Jim developed and owned Prairie Bowling Center in Vermillion, S.D where he was awarded the first liquor license in Clay County.

He participated in the family business, The Plains Entertainment Center in Huron, SD. He was a partner in several banks and served as President of Peoples and Enderlin State Bank in Enderlin, North Dakota. He resided in Edina, Minnesota for eight years where he worked in the title, mortgage and real estate business.
In 1978 he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was a casino and entertainment executive. He promoted the US Open Poker Tournament in 1990, was entertainment director for three different hotels, and was Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of The Maxim Hotel, an 800-room hotel casino complex.
He formed his own entertainment company, Ping Corp. He wrote, directed, and produced four production shows, promoted twenty-five concerts with major stars and produced thirteen television shows.
He produced and directed a show Country Tonite for Branson, Missouri. The show was awarded the Outstanding Show in Branson for two consecutive years.
He sold his company and retired in 1995. More than two million people have seen his production shows.
He was preceded in death by his mother Ruby Wysuph Barnes, his father Alfred R. Barnes, and his brothers Richard Barnes and Rodney Barnes.
He is survived by his son Patrick Barnes of Port Orchard, Washington, and grandson Jason Barnes of Las Vegas, Nevada; his daughter Jamie Stidger, son-in law Howe Stidger and grandchildren Jasmine Stidger and Jessenia Stidger of Kaaawa, Hawaii; and his daughter Kelly Barnes, son-in-law David Bye and grandson Simon Scott Barnes Bye of Leucadia, California; his sister Norma Barnes Reese, nieces Trudy Severson and Tracy Downs, and nephew Rod Reese, of Rapid City, South Dakota; nephew Rich Barnes of Huron, South Dakota; and niece Penny Barnes Fosheim of Laguna Hills, California.
Messages of condolence may be sent to Kelly Barnes, 142 West Jason Street, Leucadia CA 92024.