Jill Marie Fleming | December 2, 1978 - September 02, 2021
Obituaries-Pierre / Posted Sep 30, 2021 | 5:32 AM / 382 views
A free spirit was born on December 2, 1978 in Pierre, SD and left this world on September 3, 2021. Jill Marie Fleming unexpectedly passed away in Tucson, AZ at the age of 42. With her roots in South Dakota she spent numerous years in Des Moines, Iowa; Solana Beach, CA and the last couple of years in Tucson.
Jill was born Mavis (Kuper) Fleming and adopted by Lawrence Joe Fleming. She was raised in the ranch lands of Nebraska and South Dakota, near Valentine. Jill started school at Kennedy Country School with a total of three students, 45 miles from the nearest town. She graduated from Valentine Rural High School in 1997 and received her Bachelor of Science with an emphasis in Finance from National American University in 2001. She was recruited to work at Berkshire Hathaway Energy in Des Moines, IA, where she worked for nine years before going out on her own as a professional photographer and business consultant. A believer in constantly learning she also graduated from the Klemmer Advanced Leadership Academy in 2011 and received her Elite Life Coach Certification in 2014.
Horses and rodeoing were a big part of Jill’s childhood. Her favorite mount was Monroe. She was a competitor in breakaway roping, pole bending and barrel racing through her first year of college and also competed in rodeo queen pageants. The beauty and elegance of horses was something that Jill kept in her life through artistic photography and mementos of equines including artwork and jewelry.
As a professional photographer she was able to combine her love of travel and photography as she flew all across the United States helping to photograph numerous college graduations for LifeTouch; she was also a family and business photographer. She spent time exploring the cities where she was sent and made numerous friends.
Everywhere that Jill went, she would leave with at least one new friend and stories to share of their adventures. In 2012 she “escaped winter” and left for Puerta Viarta and Mayto Beach, Mexico (without knowing Spanish!) to live for three months while she took care of goats, chickens and horses on a house-sitting gig. This was a life-changing trip for Jill, proving to herself that she could do anything she set her mind to. Two other trips that were highlights of her adult life were her birthday trip to Hawaii and a 40-day trip to tour all of Italy in 2019.
Jill also published a Kindle book, Freedom To Fly: The Visionary Leader’s Guide to Unlocking Your Unique Freedom Code to Confidently Create More Impact, Influence & Income; and had co-hosted a podcast for over a year, called Time2Fly that is still available to listen to.
Jill believed in the Lord and was also a very spiritual woman who always trusted the guidance the universe gave her. She is now a guardian angel – who has the time and freedom to fly – for numerous “family” members – those friends who were part of her chosen family.
Jill was preceded in death by her dad, Joe Fleming and her beloved grandma Lorraine “Dolly” Kuper and other family members. She is survived by her mother, Mavis Fleming of Valentine, NE; her uncles Marvin and Elaine Kuper of Rapid City, SD and Karl and Diane Kuper of Tripp, SD, numerous cousins; step-siblings Jackie Hollenbeck, Larry Fleming and Lori Witte plus numerous friends around the world and half-sister Shelly Hartley and half-brother Adam Yeager.
Jill will be missed by many. She would want each and every one of us to savor every day of life and to experience travel. She truly lived her “dash” on her own terms, until the very end.
Memorial services will be held in Valentine, NE on October 2, 2021 at 1:00 pm at the Methodist Church with Pastors Jake Schadel and Scott McClellen officiating. Interment of her ashes will be done at later date in Highmore, SD. A memorial service will be held in Solana Beach, CA, December 2; and possibly Des Moines, IA too; an informal gathering to celebrate her life in Tucson, AZ was held Saturday, September 11, 2021. The Sandoz’ Chapel of the Pines is in charge of funeral arrangements.
