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James Keith DeSaix was born to Elizabeth Moon DeSaix and James Albert Quentin DeSaix on November 12, 1946 at Swedish-American Hospital in Rockford, Illinois and entered into death at the Sioux Falls Veterans Administration Hospice Unit on September 23, 2026, surrounded by his family.

Jim's family lived in Mt. Carroll Illinois, Des Moines, Iowa and finally Sioux Falls, South Dakota where Jim graduated from Washington High School in 1964. As an athlete at WHS, Jim was active in many sports and was named Prep All-American in 1999; Jim was inducted into the Washington High School Athletic Hall of Fame for his achievements in football, wrestling and track.

Jim earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Dakota in 1968. In the fall of 1968, he entered the School of Law at USD, but due to the Vietnam War, was drafted so he then enlisted in the U. S. Navy Recruit Training Center in San Diego where he attended Hospital Corps School at Balboa Hospital, becoming a hospital corpsman. He was attached to the U. S. Marine Corps (the Green Machine) as a hospital corpsman 3rd Class Petty Officer. After transferring to the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, he became the senior corpsman of the Upper Towers. He served as the personal hospital corpsman for Vice Admiral Joel T. Boone and then was appointed senior enlisted assistant to the administrative Officer, Naval Hospital in Bethesda becoming the personal hospital corpsman for President Richard M. Nixon and Vice President Spiro I. Agnew, also serving U.S. Senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Subsequently, Jim was commissioned an Ensign, with an 1105 Designator eligible for command at sea. He was promoted to Lieutenant JG and was honorably discharged from active duty on August 6, 1974.

After returning home to South Dakota, Jim resumed law school and graduated in May of 1977. He immediately opened his law practice in Beresford, South Dakota where he remained until retiring. Jim was an active member of Beresford Zion United Methodist Church where he both sang and directed the choir he so loved.

Jim is survived by his loving wife, Sandy, his children, Darren C. Vik (Lisa), Daina DeSaix Austin (Lee) and Maren Louise DeSaix (David), seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, his sister, Louise Anderson, many nieces, nephews, extended family and a host of wonderful, faithful friends.

Jim was predeceased by his parents, Elizabeth and Quentin DeSaix, his parents-in-law, Lillian and Milton Wass and his brother-in-law, Richard C. Anderson.

Funeral services will be 10AM Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at Beresford Zion United Methodist Church, 47106 298th Street, Beresford. Committal prayers and military honors will be 2PM at the South Dakota State Veterans Cemetery, 25965 477th Ave, Sioux Falls, SD. Visitation will be 5-7PM Monday, Sept. 28th at Wass Funeral Home in Beresford with a 6:30PM prayer service.