James (Jim) Hutton Hastings 85 of Rapid City passed away Tuesday, April 5, 2022.

Jim was the son of John and Edna Hastings and was born July 11, 1936, and raised in Rutherford, New Jersey. After completing his public schooling in Rutherford, he enrolled at Columbia University, graduating in 1958 with a bachelor's degree in economics. Since the military draft was in existence then, he was next faced with a decision of whether to serve two years in the Army as an enlisted man or three years in the Air Force as an officer. He chose the latter and was accepted in the Air Force's Officer Training School. Much to his own surprise, he soon came to value the importance of the Air Force in its mission of defending this country and even his lowly job as a supply officer, and he decided early on to make the Air Force his career. His early assignments included Edwards Air Force Base, California; Campion Air Force Station, Alaska; Dow AFB, Maine; and Clark Air Base, Philippines. It was at Clark that he met the love of his life, Katheen, an Air Force nurse. Kathy was transferred back to the U.S. about six months before Jim was scheduled to return, so the relationship was continued by mail. When Jim returned to the U.S., the couple soon got engaged and married shortly after.

His move to Whiteman AFB, Missouri, included a complete change of duties. Now he was to be a Minuteman Missile launch control officer, a position he held for the next four years. Next was a tour as a Minuteman Squadron Operations Officer at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, and then, as Jim liked to phrase it, "I finally got lucky", and he was transferred to Ellsworth AFB for an assignment with the 4th Airborne Command Control Squadron, a job he held until his retirement from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel at the end of 1979.

His post Air Force career was that of a real estate appraiser operating a one-man office out of his home. He continued in this endeavor for the next eighteen years and finally retired completely in 2001. Upon retirement, he and Kathy took frequent vacations on small sailing ships in the Caribbean. He built detailed sailing ship models which he occasionally displayed at the Black Hills Engineering Club shows at the Pennington County fairgrounds.  In 2019 he was awarded the Sherline Craftsman of the Year. Jim also volunteered as a tour guide at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site east of Wall for six years. These activities continued as long as his health permitted.

Jim liked to say that the most significant thing he did during his life was to make an absolutely microscopic contribution to winning the cold war, but that he had relied on a lot of help in this endeavor from several million of his closest friends in the military.

Jim is survived by his wife Kathleen of 55 years, 2 sons, Bill of Lander, WY, Rich of Sioux Falls, daughter, Beth Northcutt of Minneapolis, and his brother, John Hastings of Rockville, MD.

The family extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Monument Health Clinics, Hospital and Hospice for their care and compassion.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jim's honor to Friends of SD Public Broadcasting 601 N. Phillips Ave #100 in Sioux Falls, SD 57104 or the Salvation Army Western Division 10755 Burt St in Omaha, NE 68114.