Ralph Lyle Reede was born November 15, 1925, at Faith, SD. He attended school at East Flintrock north of Faith. He worked on the home ranch and the Faith sale barn until he was 18. He joined the United States Marine Corps and served his country honorably. He was wounded at Iwo Jima and received a purple heart. Following his discharge, he returned home in 1945. He has been a member of the American Legion since his discharge.

On June 3, 1949, he married Zelpha Maye Hansen in Rapid City. The couple bought a farm east of Lantry, SD, and Ralph laughingly referred to it as the "starvation plot". They moved to Lantry where they owned and operated the 4 Winds Club. They converted it into a gas station and convenience store. They also bought and operated the Lantry Oil company.

Following retirement in 1994 they moved east of Sturgis where Ralph spent his days playing cards and feeding his calves. Ralph, 86, Sturgis, died at his home on Saturday, July 14, 2012.

Survivors include his wife, Zelpha Reede, Sturgis; sons, Glenn Reede, Belle Fourche, Allen (Jean) Reede, Spearfish, and Larry (Mary) Reede, Dupree; daughters, Carla Edwards, Columbus, MT, and Kathy (Carl Olson) Lemke, New Underwood; one sister, Alice Leibswager, Utah; 18
grandchildren; and 42 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, three sisters, one daughter, and one son-in-law.

Memorials have been established to the Trinity Lutheran Church and the Meade County Senior Center.

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