Harold John Wetz was born on December 13, 1922, in Sturgis, SD, at the home of his maternal grandparents, to Gerald Wetz and Amelia Schaff Wetz. He grew up on the family ranch east of Vale, SD, along the Belle Fourche River. He attended school at the Wetz School through the eighth grade and then ranched with his father until his marriage to the school teacher, Sylvia Dobyns, on June 5, 1946. The newlyweds lived on the farm west of Vale where they farmed and Harold and Sylvia raised their growing family.

Harold ran a trucking business for a few years and then he learned to shear sheep and ran a shearing crew for many years. He was well-known for the quality work of his crew, which eventually included four of his sons, who carried on the tradition for several years. His legacy continues as a grandson still shears sheep.

In 1968, Harold and his family moved to Poplar, Montana. He began a new career in Montana with the Farmers Union Grain Elevators and worked at elevators in Poplar, Sprole, Circle, and Glasgow from where he retired in 1985.

After Sylvia retired from teaching school in Montana, they spent 19 winters in Arizona, because Dad hated the cold weather.

Harold was active in the Nashua senior citizens and was selected as the outstanding senior citizen for Valley County in 1987. He was also active in the Nashua Lions club for 25 years.

Harold loved to hunt and fish and spent many hours on Fort Peck Lake where he continued the quest for the large walleye. One of his proudest moments of hunting was when he was 90 years old and hunted with 4 generations of his family.

In 2006, Harold and Sylvia moved to Spearfish, SD, where they have resided since, first at the Redwood Apartments, the Edgewood Vista Assisted Living, and then Dad moved to the Dorsett Home, where he died on July 26, 2016, at the age of 93years, seven months and 13 days.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Sylvia, of Spearfish. He is also survived by seven children: Norman (Gloria Jean) of Glendale, AZ, Kenneth (Donna) of Newell, SD, Beth Kelley (Bill) of Simms, MT, Roger (Carol) of Billings, MT, Linda Dutton (Phillip) of Pauls Valley, OK, Paul (Vicky) of Glasgow, MT, and April Baker (Roy) of Vaughn, MT. He is also survived by 18 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and 3 great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving is sister, Helen Seitz of Washington; and brothers, Jim of Colorado and Darrell of Montana.

Preceding him in death were his parents; sisters, Julia, Dorothy, and Geraldine; and brother, Gerald, Jr., and grandson, Doug Kelley.

Visitation will be held at Kinkade Funeral Chapel on Friday, July 29th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Spearfish. Burial will be at the Vale Cemetery at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 31st.

A memorial has been established for the preservation of the Wetz School.

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