James H. Schepansky, 93, passed away peacefully on February 9th, 2020.

James "Jim" Schepansky was born on September 25th, 1926 in Detroit, Michigan to Walter and Jeanete Schepansky.

Jim attended highschool until the 10th grade when he dropped out to join the Navy, but was rejected due to a previous injury. He then learned of the Merchant Marines and was accepted into basic training at Sheeps Head Bay in Brooklyn, NY in April of 1944. He finished training in June and was shipped out on June 7, 1944 to the ship "S.S. Bulklube" which was dispatched to Bristol, England.  On return Jim joined the National Maritime Union in 1945 where he sailed on four different ships during WWII until the war ended August 1945.

Jim took a job in auto repair until January 1946 when he was drafted into the Air Force. He attended basic training in Wichita Falls, Tx where he completed Control Tower Operation school in Scottfield, IL. He was sent to Germany in September 1946 and upon arrival reassigned to Radio repair  training in Paris, France due to an excess number of Control Tower operators. He was then re-designated to the 156th Army Airways Communication System and worked as a radio-repairman in many different locations in Germany. His tour ended in September 1948 and he returned to the states and was honorably discharged.

Jim worked odd jobs in Detroit until 1951 when he re-enlisted in the Air Force where he remained until 1968 when he retired. During those years he served  many tours of duty. He then retired in MI and remained there until 1977.

Jim then moved to Bloomington, MN and attended a piano tuning and repair school. He moved a few times to different states in the years following until finally making his home in Rapid City, SD in 2002 where he lived until he passed.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers Bill and George; a sister Ruth and a daughter Alice "Sandy".

Graveside services will be held at 10:00 am, Monday, February 17, 2020 at Black Hills National Cemetery with military honors provided by Ellsworth Air Force Base Honor Guard.