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| 10/6/2009 2:19:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | James C. Gremmels, 82
James C. Gremmels was born on May 13, 1927, in Chicago, Ill., to Marguarite and Cyril Sinnett and adopted at a young age by his grandparents Charles and Amy Gremmels. He grew up in Sioux Falls, S.D., where he attended John Greenleaf Whittier, K-8 and Washington High School, graduating in 1945.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army shortly after graduating high school and served with the 1st Division's Special Landing Unit as an infantry medic which trained in Attalla, Ala., for the impending landing on mainland Japan. In the spring of 1945 the Second World War came to an end and his unit was disbanded. He completed his enlistment in the occupation of the Korean Peninsula stationed in the Puson region, being discharged at the rank of staff sergeant in 1948.
He attended college in the fall of that same year at the University of Iowa, entering with a full ride athletic scholarship, transferring the following year to the University of South Dakota and later, to Augustana College where he completed his undergraduate studies, double majoring in English and Philosophy.
While at Augustana he also excelled in basketball, setting numerous scoring and defensive records, becoming the first inductee into the Augustana Hall of Fame. Jim would later be inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame with the class of 2007.
On August 22 of 1952, he, (as he was fond of saying) "picked the prettiest and brightest flower" and was united in marriage to Ruth Abigail Troen, daughter of the Reverend Peter M. and Marguerete Troen. They lived in St. Paul while Jim attended graduate school at the University of Minnesota. Before receiving his masters degree in American Studies in 1955, both Jim and Ruth spent one year teaching in Watertown, S.D. (1953-1954).
Landing a teaching and coaching job at Glenwood High School moved the couple to Glenwood in the summer of 1955. There he would lead the Glenwood Laker basketball team to their first State championship appearance in 1956 amidst the then open class tournament. He taught and coached there until being hired into the inaugural professorial ranks of the University of Minnesota-Morris in 1960, where he started the UMM basketball program and taught English, specializing in American literature until his final year. While there, professor Gremmels would earn numerous academic awards and accolades, including the Distinguished Horace T. Morse teaching award.
Jim's influences over 60 years of teaching, coaching, political activism and friendship is infinitesimally broad and far reaching. The many lives of students, colleagues, players and the broad latitudes of people that Jim touched in his life is nearly impossible to put a number on, but each of them carries a small part of Jim with them in their daily lives.
Jim will be deeply missed by all of these people to be certain, but most of all, his beloved wife Ruth and his three sons and extended family.
Jim was preceded in death by his mother and father, grandparents, uncles and aunts.
He is survived by wife, Ruth; sons, Todd (Debra), Peter (Mary) and Paul (Ann); brother-in-law, Luther Troen; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
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Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, October 08, 2009
Article comment by:
Robert C. Steensma
Jim and I were classmates in Augustana's class of 1952.I knew him as a kind, bright, com-
passionate friend and an
outstanding student and
athlete. He will always
be remembered as a fine
teacher and a role model
for his students and
friends.
Dr. Robert C. Steensma
The University of Utah
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