BELLE FOURCHE - Funeral Services for Armand W. Franke, 73, of Belle Fourche will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, November 20th, 2004, at the United Methodist Church in Belle Fourche. Pastor Gail Arnold will officiate and burial will follow at Pine Slope Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, November 19th, at the Funeral Home of the Northern Hills, Belle Fourche. Mr. Franke passed away Thursday, November 18th, 2004 at the Belle Fourche Long Term Care Center. Armand Wayne Franke was born June 29, 1931, in Ethan, SD, to Faye Roosevelt and Ruby Pearl Franke. He grew up in Lake Andes and moved to Belle Fourche in the early 1940's. He enlisted in the US Army in 1950. During the Korean War he was stationed in Alaska and served as a cook in a medical company assigned to the 196th Infantry. In 1955 he married Norine Clem in Belle Fourche. Together they ran the Five Mile Supper Club for a short time. He worked as a Manager for Culligan Soft Water for 37 years, and also worked at various jobs throughout the area. He worked as a janitor for both the Hampton Hotel and the Belle Fourche School System, as a short order cook at Bob's Lunch, and also at the U & I Sugar Beet Factory. For many years he also enjoyed moonlighting - repairing lawnmowers and putting in new lawns with his father. After his retirement from Culligan, he worked for Prairie Hills Transit. He was active in the IOOF lodge, was a member of the museum board, and was a member of the United Methodist Church. In his retirement his greatest pleasure was enjoying his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife of 49 years, Norine; son Faron Franke; daughters Delphine & Dan Davis, Dallerie & Bill Neff; brother Ron & Sharon Franke; and sister Sherrey & Harlan Cooper; six grandchildren, Danielle Leach; Delrae and Deaver Davis; Grant, Garrett, and Rachelle Neff; two great-grandchildren, Keelee and Keeton Rosales; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tri County Museum or the United Methodist Church.
Published in the Rapid City Journal on 11/19/2004.