James Haney

James Vincent Haney was born on September 19, 1925 to James D. Haney and Gladys Bell Haney in Sioux City, Iowa. When Jim was about 2 years old, the family moved back to Omaha, Nebraska. Jim went to school in Omaha and Papillion, Nebraska. After he graduated from Papillion High School in 1943, he enrolled at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Shortly after he turned 18, he was drafted to serve the United States in military service; Jim chose to join the Marine Corps. He was sent to the South Pacific in June of 1944, with the Third Marine Division, where he served until World War II ended. Island-hopping with the Marines, he participated in the liberation of Guam in 1944. He also served on Saipan and Tinian. Jim was part of the 17th Defense Battalion at North Field on Tinian when the Enola Gay took off with the atomic bomb. He was honorably discharged in May of 1946.

After the war, Jim attended Creighton University, Omaha, NE, where he met Theresa Lally, a nursing student. Theresa turned out to be the Queen of Jim’s heart. They married on September 3, 1949.  They raised their family in Omaha and Bellevue NE, then in Denver, Dolores and Cortez CO. Jim transferred with Swift and Company to Detroit Lakes, MN in January, 1961. In 1969, Jim started his own business distributing meats, fish and cheese. Holiday time was always memorable, when Jim routinely sold tons of lutefisk to area grocery stores and restaurants. Jim farmed for many years, raising Targhee sheep.

Jim enjoyed the outdoors and loved to deer hunt, camp and ski. For a while in the 1960’s, he was scoutmaster for Troop 647, Detroit Lakes. He became one of the first cross-country skiers in this area. At the time, cross-country skis were not sold by stores in this area, so Jim also became a distributor for a Norwegian cross-country ski company. Jim continued to cross-country ski well into his 80’s, and enjoyed downhill skiing until Detroit Mountain closed.  In later years he loved to golf with his golf buddies, both older and younger.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife Theresa in 2013, his infant daughter Catherine Ann in 1958, his parents, his sister Joan Witt and several brothers- and sisters in-law.

Jim is survived by his son Jim Haney Jr and his wife Bonnie of Moorhead, daughters Mary Haney of Detroit Lakes and Elizabeth and her husband Reza Maleki of West Fargo, five grandsons, Zebulon  Haney and his wife Wendy of Deephaven, Gabriel Haney and his wife Katie of Moorhead, Gregory Haney of Fargo, Samir Maleki and his wife Brianna of Boise Idaho and Jamil Maleki and his wife Jessica of West Fargo; foster granddaughter, Hananeh Saedi and her husband Marcus Davis of  Eagan, and 10 great-grandchildren: Seamus, Aoife, Catherine and Zoe  Haney; Izabella, Karelina, Rae and Anna  Haney; Gregory Haney; and Saoirse Maleki. Jim is also survived by his brothers Greg Haney and his wife Jeannine of Wever, Iowa, David Haney and his wife Jayne of Papillion NE, sister Sharon Winther of Norfolk, NE,  and sister-in-law Mary Lally of Denison, IA. Jim is also survived by many beloved nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.