Harold Nelson Dutton, 86, Spearfish, died on Sunday, September 22, 2013, at the David M. Dorsett Healthcare Facility.

Funeral services are scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27, 2013, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Zeona with the Rev. Marcia Brennan officiating. Burial will follow at the Dutton Family Ranch Cemetery.

Visitation will take place on Thursday, September 26, 2013, at Kinkade Funeral Chapel from noon to 7:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m.

Harold was born on June 15, 1927, in Faith to Hiram and Mary (Spencer) Dutton. He grew up near Faith, on the Dutton homestead ranch that was established in 1914. He went to Sorum High School until it closed, and at that time he continued his schooling in Faith until graduation. In 1943, Harold started "going steady" with his classmate, Vera Collins. When he and Vera graduated, Vera was valedictorian and Harold was the salutatorian. Harold always maintained that he would have beat Vera for the valedictorian position if he hadn't been the captain of the basketball team. They got engaged in 1945 in the summer after graduation, and they were married on June 25, 1947. After they were married they went back to the Dutton Ranch and lived there until they moved to Spearfish in 2007.

Harold was very involved in the community and cared very much about it. He gave selflessly to many organizations including being a 4-H leader for 25 years, he was a church council member and Sunday school teacher for many years, he was on the Beck School Board, he was the clerk of the Beck Township for 61 years, and he served as the Faith Alumni President for one year. The Harold Dutton ranch won the Conservation Award for Range Manager of the Year for all of his endless conservation efforts. He loved saving wild berry bushes.

Harold was known as a very strong man with an iron grip. He could pick a blacksmith anvil up by the horn raising it from the ground to a straight armed position perpendicular to the ground.

Harold had many different quotes, such as his appreciation for the land, "The land was here before we were, and we are just temporary stewards. We should leave it better than we found it." He liked to tell his children to "Always take time to stop and smell the roses." His philosophy on the conservation "Make the water walk rather than run through our conservation efforts." He liked to stop his vehicle and get his children or grandchildren out to look at a beautiful sunset and remark "You don't see that in Chicago." Harold would always tell his loved ones when they left his house to "Stay over on the hills, and look out for the wild cowboys" which meant for them to come back safe.

Harold was an avid music lover and enjoyed playing the harmonica, the mouth harp, and spoons, and was a prolific cartoon artist, but his greatest joy was his family.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Vera of Spearfish; sons, Melvin (Marcia) Dutton of Faith, David (Bonnie) Dutton of Spearfish, and Daryle (Stacey) Dutton of Tempe, AZ; daughter, Linda (Dennis) Anders-Hathaway of Mud Butte; 13 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

Harold is preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Sheree` Dutton; sister and brother-in-law, Helen (Walter "Bud") Wenzel; and great-grandson, Gabriel Dutton.

A memorial has been established.

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