Donald Holley

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Donald C. Holley, 88, of Miller, passed away Sunday, June 8, 2014 at the Good Samaritan Society of Miller.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, June 13, 2014 at the First Presbyterian Church, Miller with Pastor Brian Jones officiating. Burial with military honors followed at Hillcrest Cemetery, Miller. Visitation was held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, June 12, 2014 with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at Reck Funeral Home, Miller.

Donald Holley was born January 14, 1926 to Clarence and Edna (Banks) Holley in Wells, Minnesota, where he grew up. After Don was discharged from the Navy, he married Bernice on June 25, 1946 in San Francisco. They hopped a bus back to the Midwest, where Don took various jobs, including construction, helping to build the Hand County Hospital, Stobbs filling station, the meat locker, and the new addition to City Hall. Then he worked at various farms around Wessington and Miller, South Dakota. In January 1967 he and Bernice bought their first and only house in Miller. Don worked at Wilson Ready Mix and drove school bus initially and then in 1969 started at the City of Miller Water Department, where he continued until retirement in 1990.

Don was a life member of the VFW, a Mason, a volunteer fireman, and a volunteer at the Miller Presbyterian Church. He was a loving husband, devoted father and proud grandfather of his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He is survived by his three daughters: Donna (Tom) Cotton of Valley Springs, Kathy (Dennis) Harvey of Wolsey, and Vicki Holley of Aberdeen; one son, Dan (Sherry Nolan) Holley of Minneapolis, MN; eight grandchildren: Kristi Butler, Kandi Heal, Cory Harvey, Chad Harvey, Tami Melendez, Toby Harvey, Jill Knudsen, and Drew Danburg; 28 great grandchildren: Branden Butler, Blake Butler, Bryce Butler, Wyatt Heal, Colton Heal, Juliene Knudsen, Parker Knudsen, Sydney Knudsen, Izabella Erickson, Landon Danburg, Ava Danburg, Grace Danburg, Brandon Hess, Hailey Melendez, Anthony Melendez, Dylan Harvey, Dakota Harvey, Kayla Hash, Kaitlin Schmitt, Keisha Grubb, Kaelub Grubb, Karlie Harvey, Taryn Harvey, Dawson Harvey, Logan Harvey, Mackenzie Harvey, Brittany Harvey, and Joshua Harvey; one great-great granddaughter, Elara Hash; sister, Betty Walters and sister-in-law, Alice Campbell; several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Bernice; his parents; one granddaughter, Kelly Hess; one brother, Harold Holley and one sister, Helen Lima.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Don’s arrangements.