Mark Durfee
July 30, 1919 ~ October 14, 2007
Served by: Luce, Luze & Reck Funeral Homes
Mark Durfee, 88, of Highmore, died Sunday, October 14, 2007 at the Miller Good Samaritan Center.
Funeral services were held at 3:00p.m., Thursday, October 18, 2007 at the United Methodist Church, Highmore with Rev. Martin Earl officiating. Burial was in the Highmore Cemetery, directed by Luze Funeral Home of Highmore. Visitation was held from 5:00-7:00p.m, Wednesday, October 17 with a 7:00p.m., prayer service at Luze Funeral Home in Highmore.
Mark was born near the Whetstone Creek in Gregory County, SD on July 30, 1919 to Thomas and Maude (Ross) Durfee. His love for the bottom country was deeply instilled in him and he loved to go for rides up and down the area recalling his childhood and family events. He settled in Highmore as a young man, married Elizabeth Rath in February, 1943, and began working as a livestock dealer and as a butcher for the City Meat Market. He eventually owned and operated the Jack and Jill Supermarket and Locker Plant until ill health prompted him to retire. Retirement was anything but; as he soon became very busy making fishing tackle and selling his crafts up and down the Missouri River. His love for the great outdoors was widely known as the weekends were always spent camping or fishing with friends and family.
Mark was also a loyal and close friend to many and in retirement he was always helping someone paint, work cattle or just keeping "Doc" Autry Company as he traveled the countryside doing his veterinary practice. He became an active supporter of community life at every level. His greatest accomplishments in life were when he told about things he and others had helped develop in Highmore. His community was very special to him and he took great pride in projects that he helped on.
He was a life-long member of the American Legion and the United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his sons Don and his wife Vonnie of Lantana, FL, their children Cami Martin, Robert Wagner, Dawn Wagner, and eight great-grandsons, and his son Jim of Wells, MN, and his children Bryce and Shelby Durfee.
Mark was preceded in death by his beloved wife Billee, his parents, eight brothers, a foster brother, two sisters, and one granddaughter.
Funeral services were held at 3:00p.m., Thursday, October 18, 2007 at the United Methodist Church, Highmore with Rev. Martin Earl officiating. Burial was in the Highmore Cemetery, directed by Luze Funeral Home of Highmore. Visitation was held from 5:00-7:00p.m, Wednesday, October 17 with a 7:00p.m., prayer service at Luze Funeral Home in Highmore.
Mark was born near the Whetstone Creek in Gregory County, SD on July 30, 1919 to Thomas and Maude (Ross) Durfee. His love for the bottom country was deeply instilled in him and he loved to go for rides up and down the area recalling his childhood and family events. He settled in Highmore as a young man, married Elizabeth Rath in February, 1943, and began working as a livestock dealer and as a butcher for the City Meat Market. He eventually owned and operated the Jack and Jill Supermarket and Locker Plant until ill health prompted him to retire. Retirement was anything but; as he soon became very busy making fishing tackle and selling his crafts up and down the Missouri River. His love for the great outdoors was widely known as the weekends were always spent camping or fishing with friends and family.
Mark was also a loyal and close friend to many and in retirement he was always helping someone paint, work cattle or just keeping "Doc" Autry Company as he traveled the countryside doing his veterinary practice. He became an active supporter of community life at every level. His greatest accomplishments in life were when he told about things he and others had helped develop in Highmore. His community was very special to him and he took great pride in projects that he helped on.
He was a life-long member of the American Legion and the United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his sons Don and his wife Vonnie of Lantana, FL, their children Cami Martin, Robert Wagner, Dawn Wagner, and eight great-grandsons, and his son Jim of Wells, MN, and his children Bryce and Shelby Durfee.
Mark was preceded in death by his beloved wife Billee, his parents, eight brothers, a foster brother, two sisters, and one granddaughter.
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I had the pleasure of knowing Mark at the Good Samaritan Society. What a wonderful person he was. I wish that I would have had the privelege to know him sooner, but am Thankful for the time he was here. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your families. Know that Mark is suffering no more.
I have many fond memories of Mark, mostly at the Jack and Jill store he ran. As a younster, I remember going to his store often whenever we went to town, he and Billi were a lot of fun to be around. It was very interesting to me to listen to all his stories of old Highmore and of the stories of his brothers and sisters, what a great time they used to have. God speed to you my last great uncle! Kevin Durfee