Gerald Mullaney
August 8, 1940 ~ December 11, 2021
Gerald E. Mullaney, 81, of Polo passed away Saturday, December 11, 2021 at the Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital, Miller.
Funeral mass will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, December 18, 2021 at the St. Liborius Catholic Church, Polo, SD, with Fr. Randy Phillips, celebrant. Burial will follow at the Mount Calvary Cemetery, Polo. A rosary and prayer service will begin at 6:00 p.m., Friday, December 17, 2021 at the church.
Gerald Eugene Mullaney, born on August 8, 1940, was the second oldest of five children born to Leona (Naber) and Leonard Mullaney. He was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre, SD.
The family settled on a farm east of Polo where Gerald lived and farmed until his death. His early education included a nearby country school, before attending St. Liborius grade school in Polo. He completed his formal education by graduating in 1958 from Fairview High School of Polo.
Gerald worked for area farmers while also assisting on the family farm. Custom sheep shearing and silage chopping with and for many of his neighbors kept the farm going through the hard times.
On September 11, 1963, Gerald was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served 14 months in Puerto Rico as Military Police before receiving his Honorable Discharge on April 23, 1965. He continued to serve in the Army Reserves until September 10, 1969. He made long, lasting friendships that he treasured through to the end. He often enjoyed sharing some very entertaining stories of his experiences during his tour in Puerto Rico.
Gerald volunteered his time to drive the Polo basketball teams to their games with his father, Leonard, who was an elementary teacher and coach at St. Liborius School. He enjoyed bowling in Miller in his free time and attended as many sporting events in the area as he could.
He married the love of his life, Margaret (Gilbertz), September 1, 1984. The couple remained on the family farm while enjoying some traveling and spending time with family in the Polo and White Lake areas. Their time together, although sweet, was cut short when Margaret passed in 1995 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Gerald was a devoted caretaker, not only for Margaret when she was sick, but later for his mother, Leona, and aunt, Laura Naber, in their final years. He continued to farm with help from his niece, Sheila and Rob Schlechter and nephew, Rob and Sandy Mullaney and their families. He was always available to help in any capacity and never hesitated to offer his wisdom. Gerald was always a wealth of knowledge regarding the history of the area and loved nothing more than proving someone wrong. He will forever be known as the fun uncle for his many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and a new generation of great-great nieces and nephews, who quickly grew to love him.
Along with farming, he was a life-long member of St. Liborius Church, member of the Knights of Columbus and the Polo American Legion. In his retirement years, he enjoyed several very special summers of Old Time Tractor Pulls where he earned many trophies and, most importantly, cherished friends.
He will be dearly missed by not only his family, but his many coffee friends in Orient and Miller, treasured neighbors and anyone he was able to start a conversation with seemingly at any place or any time. Most acquaintances soon became friends.
Left to celebrate his life are his sister, Phyllis (Duane) Jurrens; brother, Marvin (Mary) Mullaney; brother-in-law, Michael (Barb) Gilbertz; nieces: Sheila (Rob) Schlechter, Heidi (Brent) Wohl, Jennifer Gilbertz and Katie (Darren) DeNeui; nephews: Rob (Sandy) Mullaney, Doug (Sallie) Mullaney, Jay (Stacie) Jurrens, Greg (Lura) Jurrens, Tom (Traci) Jurrens, Brett (Jill) Mullaney and Mike (Diane) Gilbertz; he was also cherished by 23 great nieces and nephews; and eight great great nieces and nephews.
Joining him in heaven are his wife, Margaret; his parents: Leona and Leonard; infant sister, Maxine; brother, Duane; and parents-in-law: Mike and Ruth Gilbertz.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Gerald's arrangements.
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So Sorry for your Loss. Gerald and I were Army buddies. We went through Basic training in Missouri and Military Police School in Ft. Gordon, Ga. We kept in touch through the years after we both got out. He was a good friend and a Fine Gentleman. Will miss our visits. Don
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Very sorry to hear of Gerald's passing. I always enjoyed my conversations while tractor pulling with Gerald. Very kind and caring man. He will be greatly missed!
Always had a welcoming smile. Always wanted to know how we were doing when deer hunting. Thoughts and prayers. He will be missed.
I'm so very sorry for your loss. Gerald was a very dear friend to my Dad Don Witte. We will truly miss him.
My sincere sympathy to the family of Gerald Mullaney.
Gerald and I met in the early 60s while in the US Army and seemed hit it off and become friends right away. We went thru Military Police School together and he had invited me to come out to South Dakota to hunt pheasants and We kept in touch thruout the years. I had went on the Chicago Police Dept and He was gracious enough to tell me I could bring someone I worked with along with me. I remember the first year he was driving along the road and we were in the back of his pickup when he shouted get ready, there's pheasants in the field on the right and when they flew up it seemed like there were 50 of them and it sounded like WW 2 with all the gunfire. When the smoke cleared you could hear him bellowing from the cab, " WELL GEEZ, a few tough Chicago cops and you didnt hit a damn Rooster , do I have to come back there and show you how its done ? " We all had a great time but the guy who was a real dead eye shooter wasn't Gerald, it was Mike Thorson haha. It became a yearly thing that we really looked forward to and I remember that every time we'd hunt a different field we'd stop at the peoples house and have coffee and cake afterwards. Everyone we met out there treated us great but then the teasing turned around about how tough it was to be a farmer, if you could find time between coffee breaks LOL.. Gerald also came to Chicago to visit me a few times and since I was a Chicago Policeman, I worked as a Vice Detective assigned to the Prostitution Unit and I would work a few days so that Gerald could ride along with my partner and I and get a look at the seedy side of life. I remember him asking me what we wore while we were working , so he brought along a sport jacket. He really got an eye opening look at the drugs and dangers involved in the world of Prostitution. The girls we arrested thought Gerald was also a Vice Detective but a nicer one than my partner and I. Im sure it was the first time in his life that he was stumped when someone asked him a question, and a hooker at that LOL.. Im sure the stories he may have taken home werent repeated for family hour but probably held the guys interests at his coffee stops haha. As the years passed between the 60 's and today we always found time and tried to call each other once a month. Gerald was a great friend and we had a great time over the years and I met a lot of other great friends out there. Im really going to miss talking to my buddy. REST IN PEACE my friend, until we meet again.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family. He was one of the nicest men I have ever met, My dad ( Joe Macuba ) knew him since they were in the army together, we used to visit him and his family when we were kids and I have some of the best memories. Coming from Chicago and visiting his farm was a wonderful experience. Always loved being there. You will be missed. Rest in peace
Gerald was my mother (Mary Thuringer) first cousin. I really enjoyed visiting with Gerald at family events. Also spent a special afternoon at Gerald’s farm listening to him talk about his tractors and of course the pork chop lunches at the cafe in Miller. Special memories of a very special man. RIP Gerald.
Sorry to be so late with my condolences but, did not know Gerald passed. I was one of the pheasant hunters Gerald graciously let trapse over his farmland. He always had a smile to greet you and loved to converse. I always looked forward to seeing him each year. I will miss him!
Dennis Morrissey