Dr. John "Jack" Joseph Billion, 83, passed away on February 25, 2023, following a brief illness.  He died surrounded by family at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jack will be remembered and missed for his kindness, wisdom, sparkling blue eyes, and wonderful sense of humor.

Visitation with the family present will be from 4 to 7 pm on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at Spirit of Peace UCC Church, 6509 South Cliff Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD. A memorial service will be held at 10 am on Friday, March 3, 2023, at Spirit of Peace UCC Church with burial at Woodlawn Cemetery. The service will be live-streamed at https://youtube.com/live/fWdRqs53sHg?feature=share

Jack was born on March 4, 1939, in Sioux Falls to Henry A. Billion and Evelyn M. (Heinz) Billion.  He was the third of nine children and throughout life carried a deep appreciation of his upbringing in the North End of Sioux Falls.  A dedicated husband, father, and grandfather, he leaves behind his beloved wife of 42 years, Deb (Wagner), seven children, nineteen grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren.

Jack attended Cathedral High School in Sioux Falls and graduated in 1957.  He excelled in academics and debate and earned varsity letters in football and tennis.  He often spoke fondly of the nuns who guided his early education and would like to believe at least a few of them were equally fond of him.

Following graduation, Jack attended his father's alma mater, Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.  He made the Dean's list his entire college career and particularly enjoyed math and sciences and competing for the Loras tennis team.  During college, he met Linda Lambur of Chicago who attended neighboring Clark College in Dubuque.  They married in 1962 and together brought five children into the world. In 1980 Jack married Deb and they had two children together.

After his time at Loras College, Jack enrolled at the Loyola-Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois to pursue a medical career in orthopedics. He completed his residency and internship (1964-1969) at St. Francis Hospital in Peoria, Illinois.  Following two years in the Air Force, Jack returned to Sioux Falls in 1971 and served the region as an orthopedic surgeon for the next 26 years.  He was proud to have continued the legacy of a practicing "Dr. Billion" serving  Sioux Falls continuously since 1906.  His grandfather's cousin, Dr. Thomas James Billion, co-founded McKennan Hospital, which opened in 1911.

Jack loved medicine and was a very gifted surgeon with a warm and settling bedside manner (although some of his nurses might disagree!).  His professional accomplishments are many. Jack served as Chief of Surgery (1972-1975) and Chief of Staff (1979-1981) at McKennan Hospital while maintaining surgical privileges at McKennan and Sioux Valley Hospital (now Sanford).  He also was known to put in a stitch or two right on his dining room table.  Jack was the first surgeon in South Dakota to utilize athroscopy in his procedures.  In 1980, Jack founded the Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Clinic in Sioux Falls.  Under his direction and leadership the clinic grew, eventually developing into the Orthopedic Institute of Sioux Falls.  Jack formed close bonds with thousands of patients and medical professionals over the years, many of which endured long after his retirement from medicine.

Jack loved Sioux Falls and the state of South Dakota.  Over the years, he contributed to numerous boards and committees, including many years of service on the Dakota Wesleyan University Board of Trustees and many years of service on the board of the Children's Specialty Hospital, now known as LifeScape.  Jack worked closely with the USD Medical School as a clinical professor and eventually head of the School's Orthopedic Surgery section.  He spent many years as a consultant to the Royal C. Johnson Veteran Hospital and from 1990-1993 served as the head of the Orthopedic Department there.

Jack was a dedicated and generous physician.  He always strived to provide services to those in need regardless of their means.  This included many trips to Hospital San Antonio mission in Mexico to see and treat villagers who otherwise had very limited access to healthcare.  The smiles and relief he provided to his patients meant everything to Jack, and he had such love and admiration for Sisters Liz, Annie, and Kathy who ran the clinic.

Following his retirement from medicine, Jack became more active in politics and served as a Democrat in the South Dakota Legislature from 1993-1996. Jack's grasp of the issues, along with his strong and articulate debate skills, made him an effective voice for advancing political discourse. In 2006, Jack ran as the Democratic Nominee for Governor of South Dakota.  Jack's work in politics earned him respect from members of both sides of the aisle.

Jack pursued many interests and activities outside of medicine and politics.  He loved travel, history, tennis, racquetball, skiing, gardening, baking, O'Gorman and Green Bay Packer football, SDSU sports, golf, chess, gin rummy, fishing, the Black Hills, Northern Minnesota, and a good, well-reasoned, spirited discussion.  He particularly enjoyed beating his eldest sister Carolyn in anything.  It wasn't often his family could win a debate with him, but it never stopped any of them from trying.  Jack dearly loved his family, people, and the entire human experience.  He will be missed.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Deb, children Matthew (Trudy), Suzy (Jerry) Schrier, John (Katy), Jim (Xiomara), Jane Sejnoha, Tim (Kelsey), and Allyson (Drew) Messerschmidt; siblings Carolyn (Pat) Healy, Janet (Dick) Scheurer, David H. (Christine), Joseph (Diane), Bessie (Pat) Harris, and Stephen (Catherine), and his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother John Henry, brother Daniel, son-in-law Shane Sejnoha, grandson Joseph Viereck, great-grandson Jaxon Viereck, and nephew Paul Billion.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to Dakota Wesleyan University, LifeScape of Sioux Falls, or Spirit of Peace UCC church.