STURGIS - John Francis Egger, 88, Sturgis, died Friday, February 15, 2008, at the Department of Veterans Affairs Fort Meade.

Visitation will be Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. with a Christian Scripture service beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel. Visitation will resume one hour prior to the services at the church. Mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday, February 21, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with Father Arnold Kari officiating. Burial with military honors provided by the Sturgis Veterans Honor Guard will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery.

John was born July 2, 1919, in Deadwood, SD, to John F. and Mary (Mansfield) Egger. He attended elementary school for two years in Deadwood, one year at St. Martins Academy in Sturgis, and then attended rural schools on Alkali Divide, both West Middle Alkali and North Middle Alkali schools. John served in the US Army during WWII from 1941 until his honorable discharge in 1945. John married Emma Suko on December 18, 1950, in Sturgis. John was elected Meade County Sheriff in 1954 and served as Sheriff until 1985. He was a member of the Peace Officers Association, the SD Sheriff's Association, the American Legion, and the VFW.

He is survived by his wife, Emma Egger, Sturgis; one daughter, Debbie Egger Cummings, Sturgis; one son, Dan Egger, Rapid City, SD; his grandchildren, Chanda Petrick, Curtis and Jacob Cummings, all of Sturgis, Jon Egger, Rapid City, and Lindsey Egger, Gillette, WY; two sisters, Kay O'Keefe, Loveland, CO, and Mary Louise Schere, Burwell, NE; and sisters-in-law, Clyda Egger, Spokane, WA, and Pati Ketelsen, Rapid City. Other survivors include many first, second, and third generation nieces and nephews from England, Guam, and in-between.

He was preceded in death by his father, John Egger; his mother, Mary Egger Ketelsen; an infant brother, Robert Egger; his brothers, Tom Egger, Joe Egger, Ray Ketelsen, and Ted Ketelsen; one granddaughter, Stephanie Egger; sisters-in-law, Hazel Egger and Edna Ketelsen; and brothers-in-law, Al Larson and William O'Keefe.

A memorial has been established.