Clint Parker

Clint Parker, 92, of Gettysburg, passed away Monday, July 16, 2012 at the Selby Good Samaritan Center.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 20, 2012, at the United Methodist Church, Gettysburg, with burial following at the Gettysburg Cemetery. Visitation was held on Thursday, July 19, 2012 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and will include open informal sharing at Luce Funeral Home, Gettysburg.

Clint Parker was born February 9, 1920 on the Parker farm in southwest Iowa to Clinton P. and Ethel Parker. He grew up working with horses and riding. Most of the field work was done with horses in the 1920’s and 30’s. He worked his way up from a team on a mower to 5 or 6 horses on a disc.

Clint graduated from Henderson High School and attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. His professor knew that Roy Houck needed help on the Triple U Ranch at Gettysburg, SD. On April 1, 1940, Clint stepped off the train in Gettysburg carrying only his saddle. He worked for Roy Houck until 1955 when he had put together a small herd of cows and enough machinery to ranch on his own in Dewey County.

Clint married Jeannette Winright on December 27, 1945. Their two children, JoAnn and Dan, were born in 1947 and 1949.

Clint served on the South Dakota Brand Board from 1957-1963 and was director of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association for 12 years. He was honored in 2004 for 40 years as a Brand Inspector.

At the age of 61, Clint started Old Men’s Breakaway roping competition in SDRA, NRCA, and Old Timer’s Rodeo Association. In later years he enjoyed roping at brandings.

In 1997, Clint and Jeannette were inducted into the Casey Tibbs Hall of Fame. In 2007, Clint received the Tom Didier Pioneer Award at the Black Hills Stock Show Rodeo Old Timer’s Cowboy Breakfast.

He is survived by his son, Dan of Gettysburg; daughter, JoAnn (Duane) Shea of Bison; three grandchildren and seven great grandchildren: Jennifer (Todd) Brist, Watertown, SD, and their children, Tomas, Allison and Emma; Jody (Brad) Kerzman, Bismarck, ND, and their children, Alexis, Jacob, Elizabeth and Morgan; John Shea, Bison; two brothers, Kenneth (Clara) Parker, Vancouver, WA and Don (Lora Mae) Parker, Muscatine, IA and their families; and cousin, Darrel (Eli) Parker, Geneseo, IL.

He was preceded in death by his wife and parents.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Clint’s arrangements.