Robert Louis Shevling, 81, Belle Fourche, passed away Wednesday, June 6, 2012, at his residence.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 9, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. at the Christian Life Center in Belle Fourche with Pastor John Rehmeier officiating. There will be visitation one hour prior to the services at the church. Inurnment will be at Black Hills National Cemetery at a later date.

Bob was born May 7, 1931, in Rapid City, SD, to Everett and Katie (Mattheson) Shevling. Bob spent the first six years of his life on a ranch two miles south of Nisland, SD. In 1937, the drought and depression caused the dispersion of his father's livestock that forced the family to seek work in California and then in the ship yards of Vancouver, WA. In 1942, his father purchased a farm three miles west of Nisland and the family returned to South Dakota.

Robert attended Nisland Public School and graduated in 1949. He farmed with his father until 1955 when he enlisted in the US Navy. In 1959, he was married to Tionne Sue Gibson in Albuquerque, NM. This marriage ended in divorce in 1971. In 1974, Bob married Lorna L. Stiles at the Presidio, Monterey, CA.

On February 1, 1975, Chief Warrant Officer Shevling retired from the US Navy and returned with his wife and family to South Dakota and to the farm where he was raised. In 1976, he went to work as chief engineer for Kleven Communications, Sturgis, SD, and worked in their radio stations at Dickinson, ND, St. Cloud, MN, Milbank, SD, Jackson, MN, and the home station at Sturgis, SD. In 1979, Bob enrolled at Black Hills State University while continuing his job (part time) at Kleven Communications. In 1983, he received the degree of Bachelor of Science and remained with Kleven Communications until the business was sold. In 1988, he went to work at Fort Meade, SD, and in 1993, he retired as Building Management Supervisor. The next several years were spent traveling and in 1997, he and Lorna purchased a winter home in Yuma, AZ, where they enjoyed the winters with friends from various parts of the US and Canada. In 2009, they sold the Arizona home and returned to South Dakota to live at their new home in Belle Fourche.

Bob is survived by his wife, Lorna Shevling, Belle Fourche; son, David Shevling, Maui, HI; daughter, Cathi and her husband, Dale Spear, Folsom, CA; son, Steven Shevling and his wife, Tracy, Paso Robles, CA; stepson, Garland Stiles and his long-time friend, Don Cooper, Denver, CO; eight grandchildren, Jennifer Spear, Joe Spear, Whisper Shevling, Phoenix Shevling, Koa Shevling, Alana Shevling, Lillian Shevling, and Hannah Stiles; brother, Jim Shevling and his wife, Janet, Spearfish; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Lois Ann Burback.

Click on link to view service folder