James "Jim" Ressler

James “Jim” V. Ressler, 86, Bismarck, died November 12, 2016, at St. Aloisius Medical Center in Harvey, ND. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday at 10:30 AM at Church of the Ascension in Bismarck with Rev. Msgr. Gene Lindemann officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service where a rosary/vigil service will begin at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue on Wednesday one hour prior to the service at the church. Jim was born on July 17, 1930, in Mandan, ND, the son of Frank and Clementine (Leingang) Ressler. He was raised in Mandan and attended St. Joseph’s Grade School and Mandan High School and played on the state championship football teams in 1946, 1947, and 1948. He entered the U.S. Army in January 1949 and served in Virginia, Greenland, and France. He was discharged in 1952. Jim then attended Bismarck Junior College, graduating in 1955 and from Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science in 1956. He returned to Bismarck and worked for Hall Funeral Home. In 1970 he bought Hall Funeral Home along with Willard Nickisch and operated it until retirement in March of 1991. Jim married Bernice Berreth on November 25, 1954, at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck. Bernice passed away on July 14, 1985. Jim married Joan Bosman Haas on May 23, 1986, at Church of Corpus Christi in Bismarck. He was ordained a deacon for the Diocese of Bismarck by the Most Reverend John F. Kinney in Dickinson, ND, on June 10, 1990, at Church of St. Wenceslaus. Jim served as a deacon at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Church of Corpus Christi, St. Pius in New Salem, and Mary Queen of Peace in Almont. He retired from the active deaconate but continued as chaplain for the University of Mary football team and St. Alexius Medical Center. Jim coached football for many years at St. Mary’s High School and also was the statistician. He received St. Mary’s Distinguished Service Award in 1980. Jim sang with the Cathedral and Ascension Church Choirs, Bismarck Elks Chorus, and the Bismarck-Mandan Civic Chorus. He was the SW District Governor of the ND Funeral Directors Association, was on the board of the Great Plains Jazz Society and Dakota Stage Limited, was a member of the Bismarck-Mandan Athletic Officials, and was a member of the Elks and VFW. He also volunteered for the State Historical Society of North Dakota Foundation. Jim is survived by his wife, Joan Ressler of Bismarck; two daughters, Laurie Swank of Bismarck and Christie (Larry) Thorson of Bismarck; one son, Patrick (Laura) Ressler of Bismarck; two step-daughters, Mary (Brian) Kummeth of Pocatello, ID, and Peggy (Roger) Reinke of Lisbon, ND; two step-sons, John (Linda) Haas of White Water, WI, and William (Karen) Haas of Bismarck; eight grandchildren, Courtney (Kris) Schweyen, Lindsay (Evan) Bossert, Haley (Zachary) Kranz, Jennifer, Jamie, and Justin Thorson, Amy (Joe) Pierce, and Matthew (Allison) Ressler; twelve great-grandchildren, Owen and Kennedy Schweyen, Taylor, Charlotte and Eleanor Kranz, Preston, Summer and Harper Ressler, Harrison, Theodore, and Jadyn Pierce, and Aubrey Bossert; seven step-grandchildren, Beth (Charles) Block, Danielle (David) Stavlo, Kate (Matthew) Rothschiller, Kayla Haas, Tim (Meghan) Larson, Gregory (Kelly) Larson, and Kammy Larson; nine step-great-grandchildren, Benjamin, Jeremiah, Theodore, Charlotte, and Rosemae Block, Weston and Tate Larson, Madisyn Larson, and Payton Rothschiller; and three sisters, Nettie Monroe, Valeria Iverson, and Sister Denise Ressler, OSB, all of Bismarck. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Bernice; his parents; seven brothers, Joseph, Al, Peter, Michael, Clement, David, and Leo; and three sisters, Ermie Peterson, Greta Swindler, and Marie German. Memorials may be given to St. Mary’s Central High School Athletics, please make the check payable to: Light of Christ Catholic Schools.