Clifton LeRoy Feist, 76, Spearfish, died Wednesday, September 23, 2009, at the Fort Meade VA Hospital.

Visitation will be noon until 9:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, September 28, 2009, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Sturgis with Father Arnold Kari officiating. Burial with military honors by the Sturgis Veterans Honor Guard will follow at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Clifton was born February 23, 1933, at Ludlow, SD, on the family homestead to the proud parents of Harold Paul and Irma Ione (Saffel) Feist. He attended Cox country school through eighth grade. He then attended Bowman High School in Bowman, ND, where he formed many life-long friendships. He was a vital part of the football, basketball, and baseball programs in high school then in college. Clif attended Black Hills State Teachers College where he met and fell in love with Dolores Giroux. Clif was drafted toward the end of the Korean War. Before he left for basic training, he married Dolores Giroux at Lead on a beautiful day on September 19, 1953 at St. Patrick Church.

Clif served in the US Army two years and served his country honorably. Following his discharge, he returned to college and finished his degree in business administration.

The couple, excited about their future, moved to Osage, WY, where Clif was employed as an accountant with an oil company. They later moved their family to Cheyenne where he worked for Farmers Insurance Group. He also worked for the State of Wyoming and several companies as an accountant.

After 20 some years of marriage, Clif and Dolores finally fulfilled their dream and moved their family to the ranch at Ludlow near the Cave Hills in 1978. They embraced ranch life and raised their family for the next 14 years before moving to Spearfish. Clif was an appraiser for Lawrence County for several years. Moving back to the Hills, Clif and Dolores renewed old friendships and created precious new ones. One of Clif's favorite parts of moving to the Hills was the ample opportunities he had to attend the Yellowjacket football and basketball games. Clif has been faithfully active in the BHSU Alumni Association. They moved to Whitewood while Clif worked as a driver at Fort Meade. Clif and Dolores downsized and moved back to Spearfish last fall.

Survivors include his wife, Dolores Feist, Spearfish; one son, Anton (Jody) Feist, Lacey, WA; daughters, Mary (William) Hauser, Rapid City, SD, Jennie (Joseph) Hulsizer, Marshall, MN, Tina (William) Kitchings, Aurora, IL, and Toinette (Wesley) Brown, Rapid City, SD; and 11 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one son, Charles Paul Feist.

A memorial has been established to Black Hills State University.