Jim Herdliska

Jim Herdliska, age 85, of Erskine, MN, passed away on Wednesday, December 13^th, at his home. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 4^th, at the United Methodist Church in Erskine with the Rev. Michelle Miller officiating. Family will greet friends for one hour prior to the service on Thursday (January 4^th) at the church. Military honors will be provided by the Army National Guard Honors Team. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of Erskine and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com.

James Robert Herdliska was born December 18, 1937 in North English, Iowa to Jennie and Don Herdliska. He grew up in the rural farm country in Iowa setting his life on a course of service to everyone around him. He graduated from North English High School in May 1955 and went on to play baseball at Upper Iowa University graduating with a degree in business in 1959. He loved the high fastball. Soon after graduation, he was drafted by the US Army where he served for two years. After completing his service, he put his business degree to work throughout Iowa, South Dakota, and Minnesota in small town banking and finance.

Jim met the love of his life Betty Broderson in Oct 1966, and in a whirlwind they got married in Davenport Iowa in January 1967 and had their daughter Susie, the apple of his eye, in December that same year. Banking was Jim’s passion and he supported small town banking and farmers eventually settling in Erskine in 1985. Jim’s other passion was golf and after leaving banking, he continued to serve the community by managing the Oak Lake Golf Course for 4 years. It was his favorite place to be with his golf buddies where he had plenty of opportunities to show them how to play the game. He also stayed active in church by serving as the Chairman of Board for the Erskine United Methodist Church for 3 years and as Lay Speaker.

Jim’s greatest passion was for his granddaughters in all of their activities. Jim and Betty traveled a lot to see them compete and cheer them on in gymnastics, dance, soccer, swimming, diving, cheerleading and softball. They cherished time with grandpa and have gone on to support cancer research, law school, emergency department pharmacy, high school teaching, softball coaching, and research into autism therapies. He could not wait to hear and tell everyone about what his granddaughters were doing next.

Jim was a wonderful family man, husband, father and grandfather who was always there for his family and friends. He leaves behind his wife Betty of 57 years, his daughter Sue and her husband Bill Shedd of Texas, his granddaughter Danielle and her husband Curtis Reed of Texas, granddaughter Mikali and her husband Sean Chieves of Arizona, granddaughters Nicole and Aleya Shedd of Texas, his brother Ronald Herdliska and wife Linda of Iowa, his sister-in-law Velma Babichak of Iowa and many cousins, nieces and nephews throughout the Midwest.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jenny Grimm and Charles Herdliska; in-laws, Ida and Andrew Broderson; step father-in-law, Raymond Grimm; sisters-in-law, Marilyn Bowling and husband Marvin, Norma Thomas and husband Lyle; step brother, Darryl Grimm; step sister, Verna Jean Edwards and husband Ivan Edwards; and step brother-in-law, Clayton Linscheid.