Jerome Albert Arbach, 78, Gillette, died Sunday, September 13, 2009, at the Fort Meade VA Hospital.

Visitation will be noon until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis. Rosary services will be at 7:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Sturgis.

Mass of Christian burial will be 1:00 p.m. Friday, September 18, 2009, at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Sturgis with Fr. Arnold Kari officiating. Burial with military honors by the Sturgis Veterans Honor Guard will follow at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Jerome was born September 30, 1930, at Hoven, SD, to Mike and Rose (Hoffman) Arbach. He graduated from Hoven High School and worked on the family farm until he was drafted into the US Army. Jerome served in Korea and was honorably discharged in 1955.

Upon returning to South Dakota, he worked at the Hoven elevator.

Jerome married Janice Imberi on May 23, 1960. The couple moved to Gillette in 1978 where Jerome worked for the National 9 Motel in maintenance for 26 years. He retired and worked part time at a Gillette hardware store until his health began to fail.

Jerome enjoyed a trip to Deadwood on occasion and liked to read.

Survivors include his wife, Janice Arbach, Gillette, WY; son, Ray (Tanya) Arbach, Gillette; daughters, Rita (Robert) Jordan, Gillette, and Lisa (Bruce) Matter, Athen, TN; brothers, Clarence (Beatrice) Arbach, Hoven, and Norbert (Mary Joan) Arbach, Hoven; sisters, Betty (Lawrence) Brotzel, Billings, MT, Viola Breen, Gettysburg, SD, and Laurene Kaiser, Hoven; sister-in-law, Irene Arbach, Rapid City; and seven grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Paul, one sister, Clara, and two brother in-laws Hubert Kaiser and Harold Breen .

A memorial has been established.