James H. McWhorter, age 87, of Woonsocket, went to the “midway in the sky” on May 22, 2025, at Prairie View Healthcare Center in Woonsocket. 

A service to celebrate Jim and Penny McWhorter’s lives was held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at Welter Funeral Home with burial to follow at Ideal Cemetery in Huron. Visitation, with their family present, was 5-7 p.m., on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at Welter Funeral Home; or one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Wednesday morning. 

Jim was born on Sept. 15, 1937, to Elsie and Howard “Mac” McWhorter in Huron, South Dakota. He attended school in Huron, graduating in 1956 and attended one year of college at Huron University.

Jim married Penny Pierce of Woonsocket on Nov. 1, 1959, and to this union four children were born: Jimae (Milt) McWhorter-Ragels, James P. “Petey” (Kathy) McWhorter, Lon P. (Tammy Cadman) McWhorter and Dawn (Eric) Smith.

Jim started his career at the age of six months in show business traveling with his parents. He was a house painter in the off season for Art Schultz and later started Jim McWhorter Painting until getting back into show business in 1988 with his children. He was a member of the Hot Springs Showman’s Ass., Showman’s League of America, International Independent Showman’s Association and was inducted into the South Dakota Association of Fairs Hall of Fame. Jim was a man who never had a bad day.

Grateful for having shared in his life are his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and sister-in-law, Nancy (Bob) DeCuir and brother-in-law, Robert (Mary Ann) Pierce.

Visit www.welterfuneralhome.com.

“SEE YA ON DOWN THE ROAD”- Gentleman Jim McWhorter.