Jim Quivey, 85, of Oelrichs, SD, passed away February 14, 2011. If you see a tear in a draft horse's eye, it is because they have just lost one of their friends.
   Jim was born January 28, 1926, in Columbus, OH. During the depression Jim's parents James & Nona moved Jim and his sister Jean to Pittsburg, PA, so they he could obtain employment at a large dairy farm.
   Jim served as an Army 101st airborne paratrooper in 1944 & 45, during WW II. He was stationed in Germany.
   While attending school in Pittsburg, PA, he meet Margaret Dolinar. They were married in 1947. Two children were born from this union, Linda and Dennis. Jim's life was the greatest after they moved to Oelrichs, SD, and he started raising draft horses at age 57. For him to go to the field and work with ten broke horses was the greatest time imaginable.  In his mid 60's they had a total of 18 head of work horses.
   In 1994 Jim was involved in a terrible accident at Crazy Horse Monument near Custer, SD, with a wagon and team. Jim was thrown out of the wagon when the seat broke, and he was run over by the heavy wagon the wheel pinched his spinal cord leaving him with no feeling or control in his left leg. Two days after the accident while in the hospital his aorta ruptured requiring a five-hour surgery and 19 units of blood. If there had not been a doctor and EMT's at the monument, and a visiting heart specialist at the hospital in Rapid City his buckboard would have remained empty.  After beating all odds at 72 years young he won some more life.
   Jim was a person who enjoyed working with kids and horses to help them learn. Whether it was learning how to harness them, lead, ride, or drive them. He always had a new protégé who was learning how to handle horses. He loved to share his love for the team by driving people at special events. Jim drove a team many years in the Cheyenne Frontier Days parade; he gave rides to the local people and tourists during the Miss South Dakota Pageant; and Christmas In The Hills. He would have an electric blanket over his weakened legs and the generator running in the back of the wagon.
   Jim was never one to sit and watch life go by so he started a business called Jim's Carriage Service. He would hire out to drive a carriage at weddings, and a horse-drawn hearse for funerals. Anyone that has ever hauled around a team and a wagon know it is not an easy task for a young and agile person, needless an elderly man with two legs that didn't work real well. It was a tough decision for Jim to sell the business, but he knew it was too physically demanding to keep it going.
   On his 80th birthday he decided he was going to sky dive from 10,000' which he successfully did, just to prove that he could. He would take trips to Florida a couple of winters driving all the way by himself at 79, 80, & 82 (he could barely walk at the time). He would rent a cabin and stay a couple of weeks then drive himself back home.

   Jim had driven himself to the Mayo clinic several times for checkups and surgeries. The doctors there were amazed by his determination, the nurses always made sure he had a plate with special homemade cookies when he arrived as he was a special patient to them. Before letting him go home one time they asked him if he had someone to check in on him. Jim quickly responded, "I have a neighbor that checks in on me every morning"--little did they know the neighbor was a horse that came up to the fence each morning.
   While pulling the hearse at the funeral for Milo Rypkema in July of 2007, it was a tight squeeze through some of the spots in Rapid City, but Jim could park a team of horses better than most can park an economy car. The respect he gained from the young and the old on how he could guide the horses with a gentle hold on the reins. The day was hot but Jim drove the hearse and respected passenger through the busy town. The cars all stopped to admire the sight from the past of the expert teamster in control.
   Jim would fill with enthusiasm when he found out something new on horses, like the study of their swirl patterns and the personality traits. He would never grow old with his love to learn more. The driving was a tradition Jim worked diligently on to preserve even in the presence of advanced technology. A common sight was Jim in his scooter driving to the buggy so he could climb up there and take hold of the reins. Jim knew his days were drawing to an end so he traded a funeral home his horse drawn hearse for doing his funeral services.
   Jim is survived by his sister Jeane Nichols of St. Petersburg, FL; daughter Linda (Bruce) Murdock of Hot Springs, SD; son Dennis Quivey of Oelrichs, SD; grandchildren, Dr. Jennifer Murdock of Greeley, CO, Wes (Mia) Murdock of Hot Springs, SD, Seth Quivey of San Diego, CA, Josh (Jessica) and great-granddaughter Paisley Jai Quivey of Fargo, ND; great-grandsons, Wyatt Murdock and Lane Miller of Hot Springs; two Belgiums and nine Suffolk draft horses--the Suffolk breed was the closest to his heart--big horses for his big heart.
   Services will be held Friday, February 18, 2011, at the Prairie View Methodist Church (hwy 385) of Hot Springs/Oelrichs, SD, with Dr. J. Edwin Coates officiating. He will be driven to his final resting place by horse drawn hearse.
    Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapel of the Hills in Hot Springs.

Pennsylvania WWII Veterans Bonus application for James S. Quivey.

Although born in Columbus, OH, James' family relocated to Woodville (Alleghany county), PA  when he was less than 4 years of age.

James entered active service at New Cumberland, PA on 5 June 1944 and departed the U.S. on 23 January 1945.  He joined Co, F, 508th PIR at some point after June 1, 1945.

Pfc Quivey was awarded the Good Conduct medal on 28 February 1946.

He departed Europe on 2 March 1946 and was discharged at Fort Dix, NJ on 5 June 1946.