Art Cavenee
March 18, 1942 ~ April 4, 2017
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Art Cavenee, 75, of Wessington, passed away Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at the Good Samaritan Society in Miller.
Funeral service were held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 8, 2017 at the First Presbyterian Church, Wessington with Rev. Brian Jones officiating. Burial will be at a later date at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis with military honors. Visitation was held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, April 7, 2017 at Reck Funeral Home in Miller.
Art was born March 18, 1942, at home in Nance Township, Beadle County, South Dakota to Lloyd and Mabel (McNeely) Cavenee. He attended kindergarten through 8th grade at Tipton School just down the road from his home. He then started his freshman year at Wessington High School, but decided to forgo high school and went to work for various farmer in the neighborhood.
On May 14, 1959, at the age of 17, he joined the US Navy and was a boiler operator until his honorable discharge on April 4, 1963. While in the Navy he married Linda Spain in Huron, SD and to this union one child was born, Karla Jean. Then in 1973 he married Maxine Peterson and became father to her son Jason Everett and in 1976 Matthew Lloyd was born.
He enjoyed farming and ranching, so during his time in the Navy he was sending money back to buy land so he could pursue his dreams. He farmed and ranched until 1999 and then enjoyed retirement hobbies of fixing up his old tractors and restoring windmills. He liked to visit and drink coffee with the coffee crowds around Wessington and Miller. A highlight was getting together with family at holidays. He also enjoyed going to his grandson’s activities.
Art is survived by his son, Matt (Stephanie) Cavenee of Miller; daughter, Karla Hassett of Puyallup, WA; grandchildren: Allison and Amy Hassett of Washington; and Cole and Mark Cavenee of Miller; sisters: Bonnie Runge of Wessington, Sharon (Dave) Vitters of Rapid City, and Nedra (Gordy) Fliehe of Logan, IA; and brother, Wes Cavenee of New Mexico.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters: Joan Colling and Marilyn Meehan; and son, Jason.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Art’s arrangements.
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I am so sorry for your loss. I got to know Art through work. I really enjoyed our conversations. He will be missed.
Sending my deepest sympathies to the Art’s family and friends. He will be greatly missed.
Sorry to hear of you loss Our Deepest Sympathy Dr. Dick and Kathy Splichal
I was sorry yo hear of Art’s passing. I enjoyed getting to know him when he lived at his apartment in Burke and we had some good conversations.
I am sorry to hear of Art’s passing. I lived on the farm that Art lived on in the 50’s. I knew the family as a youth and have fond memories of that time in my life. My condolences to the family.