James Arthur Achterhoff was born to Henry and Martha (Elzenga) Achterhoff on April 10, 1933 on a farm near Trosky, Minnesota. He was raised on several farms in southwest Minnesota, and he attended school in Trosky. When his family moved to a farm near Hardwick, Minnesota, he continued his education at the high school in Luverne, Minnesota. After his graduation in 1951, he helped on the farm. In 1953, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in England until he was discharged in May of 1955.

On June 28, 1955, he was united in marriage to Minnie Gale Schuld at First Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. Following their marriage, they lived in Edgerton where Jim worked as a feed grinder. In 1967, he became employed at the Edgerton Cooperative Creamery. He continued to work there until March, 1991, when the creamery closed. In the fall, he went back to work for the co-op in the Farm Service Center. After his retirement in 1995, he continued to work part-time there during the busy seasons.

Jim was a life-long member of First Reformed Church in Edgerton where he served as an elder and a deacon. He was also a member of the Kenneth F. Kingsley American Legion Post 42 in Edgerton. He served on the Edgerton City Council for 12 years, and he served as the Mayor of Edgerton for 12 years. He also served on the board for the Edgerton Burial Association and the board for the Edgebrook Care Center. In his spare time, he loved to travel, and he was an avid reader.

He is lovingly remembered by his four children, Cindy Bolden and her husband Lionel of Marshall, Minnesota, Ryan Achterhoff and his wife Marcia of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Patti Kruger and her husband Kelly of Bennington, Nebraska, and Kyle Achterhoff and his wife Amy of Sioux Center, Iowa; 11 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Joyce Hageman of Glen Carbon, Illinois, and Eileen Matson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

He was preceded in death by his wife Gale; his parents, Henry and Martha Achterhoff; his sister Greta Brouwer and her husband Jasper, his brother-in-law Mike Hageman, and his brother-in-law Bob Matson.