Former Dakota Wesleyan University President James Beddow, 81, was 'a man of character'

Erik Kaufman, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·4 min read

Jun. 29—SIOUX FALLS — Former Dakota Wesleyan University president James Beddow left a lasting legacy of service to the school, its faculty, staff and students as well as the state of South Dakota itself, according to the current president of the four-year university in Mitchell.

"From a university perspective, I think we need to pause and honor his legacy. He was with us and led us at a time of the centennial celebration, and really brought us into a new century for the university," Daniel Kittle, current president of Dakota Wesleyan University, told the Mitchell Republic. "We are still benefiting from the work that he initiated and led decades ago."

Beddow died June 25, 2023, in Sioux Falls after a brief illness. He was 81 years old.

Beddow was born in Huron and raised in Woonsocket. He graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1964 before completing his PhD at the University of Oklahoma and joining the United States Army. He took the reins at Dakota Wesleyan in 1981, succeeding Donald E. Messer as university president. He was the second South Dakota-born president at the university when he took the leadership role, in which he served until 1994.

He spearheaded several initiatives during his years at Dakota Wesleyan that still mark the Mitchell campus today. L.B. Williams Elementary School was built on campus during his tenure, as was the Christen Athletic Center. He was also instrumental in bringing the Randall Scholarship to the school, through which the school has graduated over 200 students, with more named every year.

"There are significant building projects that he envisioned and initiated that we're still benefiting from. That's just a testament to his sense of service to the institution during his tenure," Kittle said. "My 9-year-old attends L.B. Williams, and you can't walk into that school and not feel the connection between the school district and the university."

On campus, Beddow was known as a leader highly engaged with students and colleagues. He remembered students' names as well as the names of their family members and was even known, along with his wife Jean, to host students for banana splits, a regular event that students of the time still remember and recall fondly, Kittle said.

Beddow was also one of the first to reach out to Kittle when he assumed the leadership role at Dakota Wesleyan in 2021.

"I think that's because Jim was a man of character and a person who genuinely cared about colleagues and students. He remembered the names of students and details about their families, and when you hear people talk about Jim, you hear that over and over again," Kittle said. "That's an indication of the kind of character and the servant leadership approach that he brought during a period of time that was important for us to have that kind of stewardship and leadership."

Beddow had a long history of service with the United Methodist Church, with which he held various positions, and he aimed to broaden his service to the entire state of South Dakota when he ran for governor in 1994 against Bill Janklow, though he lost that race to the late longtime state politician.

He was also a family man, who along with his wife raised two children, Jay and Jana. He was a grandfather to four who regularly supported the Minnesota Twins and enjoyed traveling on family trips. His hometown region around Huron and Woonsocket was also very dear to him, Kittle said.

"Isn't it remarkable to see a man with his deep roots in South Dakota serve South Dakota, and Wesleyan for 13 years, and before that in other roles?" Kittle said. "Something about his legacy is kind of poetic in terms of where he started and going on to his service with the university and the church and politics as well."

A celebration of life was held Thursday, June 29, at First United Methodist Church at 401. S. Spring Avenue in Sioux Falls. Kittle said that service would be a time for reflection and remembrance of a great South Dakota leader.

But his time in leadership at Dakota Wesleyan University will continue to be remembered for generations, both through the projects and initiatives he brought forward as well as the memory of his kindness, closeness and thoughtful leadership, Kittle said.

"I think he'll be remembered as a person who was able to be both strategic and forward-thinking as well as extraordinarily committed to students and colleagues," Kittle said. "He was somebody who was a servant leader in the sense of having a forward-looking vision and also someone who just deeply cared about other people and particularly the students. I think that will be his legacy, being able to do both of those remarkably well."