Irwin Richardson, age 99, of Marcus, SD, passed away on Tuesday, July 9, 2013, at Westhills Village in Rapid City, SD.

Irwin Richardson was born August 28, 1913, at Rapid City, SD, to Dick and Grace Richardson. He spent his early years on his parent's ranch near Howes, SD. He started riding with his dad before school age, and from the time he was 11 years old until he graduated from high school, he spent most of his life on a horse in a cow camp on the Cheyenne Indian Reservation herding cattle. He graduated from Faith High School and later attended college at the School of Mines in Rapid City.

On August 15, 1934, he married Inga Stalheim. In the early years, Irwin and Inga and two daughters, Lila and Lola, lived in a small log house built by French fur traders in 1878, on Red Owl Creek near Marcus. Later, they purchased an adjoining ranch where they had a daughter, Jessie, and a son, Pete. Irwin and Inga were both very hard workers and devoted their life to the ranch. In 1981, they leased the ranch and moved to Sturgis. In 1998, Inga passed away. In 1999, Irwin sold the ranch. He kept one saddle horse so he could go ride once in a while. He went on trail rides and worked cattle into his 90's.

In addition to ranching, Irwin was active in the following: South Dakota Stockgrower's Association, Masons 50+ years, Farm Bureau, Black Hills National Cemetery Conservancy, Elk Creek Soil Conservation, Rural Conservation and Development Board, County Commissioner, Kiwanis, Industrial Expansion Council, Senior Citizens, and the American Cancer Society.

He is survived by three daughters and one son and families; Lila (Casey) Jones of Dowling, MI, Lola (Dick) Frederickson, and Jessie (Charlie) Russell, both of Sturgis, SD, and Pete (Patsy) Richardson of San Diego, CA; seventeen grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Inga; brother, Billy; sister, Arlene; granddaughter, Destiny Jones; and great-grandson, Cooper Urbaniak.

A memorial has been established to the Enning Volunteer Fire Department.

Private services were held on July 16, 2013, with burial in the Bear Butte Cemetery in Sturgis, SD.

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