Jim was born October 24, 1938, in Britton, SD. His father, Harold A. Stokes, farmed near Britton. His mother, Dolores L. Stokes, was a nurse. After graduation from Britton High School in 1956, Jim attended Northern State College. He transferred to University of South Dakota in his sophomore year and received a degree in English in 1960. During his college years, he was employed by KUSD as Engineer and Announcer. He continued his broadcast career after graduation at KWAT in Watertown and KXAB TV in Aberdeen, until he entered the U.S. Army in 1961. Jim was assigned to duty at Fort Jay, NY. After completing active duty, he attended University of Minnesota, where he was employed at campus station KUOM. Jim continued his military career as an Army Reservist. Jim enjoyed weekend and temporary assignments, including short visits to Guatemala and Panama. Jim and his wife Sylvia brought up their family in Minneapolis, where they were members of The Basilica of Saint Mary. He was employed by American Lung Association where he produced anti-smoking spots for radio broadcast. He also worked for Twin Cities radio stations KQRS, WLOL, and KANO, and WLOL-FM. He did free-lance recording, writing, photography, tape duplication, and audio-visual production. He later became writer and Contributing Editor for Sound & Communications magazine, and wrote for them until 2021.

Jim’s family remembers him for his energy and creativity. Jim loved life, his family, music, literature, theater, adventure, walking, and all creative things. He listened to music as he wrote news releases, interview pieces, poems, songs, plays, and screenplays. Jim wrote scripts which were acted out by family and friends; he filmed and edited these into shows for viewing on Minneapolis Television Network. His family enjoyed joining him in long walks, travel, movies, and camping trips.

Preceded in death by parents, Harold A. Stokes and Dolores L. Stokes; sister Katherine E. Stokes. Survived by wife Sylvia; daughters Linda C. Roloff (Michael A.) and Tamara E. Stokes; son Benjamin J. C. Stokes; granddaughters Tabitha S. Priebe (Matthew) and Kaelyn E. Roloff.