Raymond Stukel

Funeral services for Raymond Stukel were held on Saturday, September 9, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Gregory, SD, with Father Jonathan Dillon as celebrant. Music was provided by the St. Joseph Choir and Nicholas Stark, Cathleen Flynn, and Ben Gietzen, vocalists, accompanied by Mary Beth Gergen, pianist. Don Stukl, Sr., was lector and Luke Stukel, Pierce Stukel, and Dawson Stukel were altar servers. Gift bearers were Ray’s granddaughters: Sarah Chase, Liz Kasselder, Jennifer Schnagl, Danielle Keller, Abby Gietzen, Cathleen Flynn, Bridget Cabrera-Stukel, Adyson Stukel, Meghan Walker, Elissa MacMurchy, Courtney Tulson, Laura Cernetisch, Sonora Day, Julia Opp, and Lexi Stukel.

Casket bearers were all of Ray’s grandsons: Eric Stukel, Matthew Stukel, Ben Shives, Caleb Shives, Sean Flynn, Jr., William Flynn, Nicholas Stark, Scott Stukel, Paul Walker, Thomas Walker, Joseph Walker, Robert Vomacka, Wayne Opp, Jacob Stukel, Joshua Stukel, Michael Stukel, and Nathan Stukel. Honorary casket bearers were Ray’s brothers and sisters.

Burial was in the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Gregory, SD. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Raymond Leroy Stukel was born October 19, 1934, to Frank and Margaret (Farmer) Stukel in a house in the northeast part of Gregory, SD, the first of ten children. He attended grade school in Winner, SD, country school at Scott School north of Gregory, and St. Joseph Catholic School in Gregory. He then attended Gregory Public Schools where he graduated from high school in 1952, after which he attended South Dakota State College (now SDSU).

On June 13, 1953, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Gregory, Ray married Melba Sinclair, also of Gregory. This union was blessed with seven children: Dave, Deanna, Deb, Doug, Tina, Raeann, and Mark.

After a couple of years at SDSC, Ray and Melba returned to Gregory where he was employed by Krotter’s Lumber Company. In 1957, his uncle Sidney Smith told him about a job opportunity at the Allen Kime ranch on the Missouri River. Ray began working for Allen on shares, and in 1979, he purchased the ranch and lived there until the Spring of 2021.

During the first 30 years at the ranch, Ray’s incredible work ethic was critical to the building and success of Stukel’s Angus Ranch. Ray worked tirelessly day and night to provide for his family. During this time, he ran poker games in the surrounding area, sold bulls, and ran an ABS route. Out of necessity, Ray developed carpentry skills which later became a joy and a passion.

Following in his parents’ footsteps, he purchased a home in Zapata, TX. Ray and Melba spent 30 winters there hosting fish fries, playing cards with friends, fishing on Falcon Lake, shopping in Mexico, and hosting many family and friends. It was during this time in his life that Ray deepened his faith by attending daily mass with Melba, praying a daily rosary and praying the Pieta prayer book fervently for people they loved.

Ray was an avid reader and gardener, supplying gallons of berries for jam each year. He enjoyed an annual elk hunting trip with various friends and family for many years. Ray was a master woodworker and completed numerous projects including the shop and most of the outbuildings at the ranch headquarters. He also designed and built custom cabinets for multiple homes, finished basements, and built end tables, plant stands, bookshelves, and his signature project - dish cupboards for his children and grandchildren.

His farming, carpentry, and mechanical skills were put to use building the family hunting business, Stukel’s Upland Adventures, formerly known as Stukel’s Birds and Bucks. Ray’s personality and ability to connect with hunters significantly enriched the hunting experience for their clientele.

On April 10, 2021, Ray and Melba moved into Avera Rosebud Country Care Center. The staff at the Care Center became their second family over the last two and a half years. Ray and Melba and their family are extremely appreciative of the care they have received at the Care Center.

Ray was a lifelong member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Zapata, and a member of the Knights of Columbus since 1960. He was on the board of directors for DeSmet Farm Mutual Insurance for over 20 years.

He died on September 2, 2023, at the age of 88 years, 11 months, as the result of old age.

He is survived by his wife Melba Stukel of Gregory and their seven children: Dave (Dawn) Stukel of Sioux Falls, SD; Deanna (Aaron) Shives of Watertown, SD; Deb (Sean) Flynn of Mitchell, SD; Doug (Sandy) Stukel of Lucas, SD; Tina (Bill) Walker of Rock Springs, WY; Raeann (Steve) Opp of Gregory; and Mark (Kim) Stukel of Leawood, KS.

Ray is also survived by 29 grandchildren and 45 great-grandchildren: Eric Stukel with great-grandchildren Evie and Maddox; Sarah (Adam) Chase with great-grandchildren Samantha, Bentley, Brooklyn, Harleigh and Amanda; Liz (Jason) Kasselder with great-grandchildren Makiah and Marisa; Jenny (Jeff) Schnagl with great-grandchild Cassidee Lundblad and great-great-grandchildren Finn and Abigail, Haiden, Londyn, Tucker and Odin; Matt Stukel; Ben (Heidi) Shives with great-grandchildren Charlie, Jack, and Sam; Danielle (Dan) Keller with great-grandchildren Quinn, Graham, Miles, Guy, and Willa; Abby (Ben) Gietzen with great-grandchildren Wesley, Alice, Otis, and Leeland; Caleb (Jackie) Shives with great-grandchildren Annabelle and Gloria; Sean (Cory) Flynn, Jr.; William Flynn and fiancée Lindsey Kernodle; Cathleen (Jill Storm) Flynn; Nicholas (Brett) Stark; Scott (Wendy) Stukel with greatgrandchild Joseph; Bridget (Kylie) Cabrera-Stukel; Adyson Stukel; Paul (Dani) Walker with great-grandchildren Beckett and Camilla; Thomas (Sadie) Walker; Meghan Walker; Joseph Walker and Kayla; Elissa (Gabe) MacMurchy with great-grandchildren Morgan, Isaiah, Amelia, Samuel, and Mabel; Courtney (Mick) Tulson with great-grandchild Abilene; Laura (Jason) Cernetisch with great-grandchildren Weston, Hudson, and Saige; Robert Vomacka and fiancée Morgan Parys; step-grandchildren Sonora (Eric) Day with great-grandchild Alexander; Julia Opp and fiancé Steven with great-grandchild Aubree; Wayne (Abby) Opp with greatgrandchildren Teagen and Mia; Michael (Megan) Stukel with greatgrandchild Raymond; Josh (Abby) Stukel; Jacob Stukel; Nathan Stukel, and Lexi Stukel.

He is also survived by eight brothers and sisters: Don (Joyce) Stukel, and Frank (Carol) Stukel, all of Gregory, SD; and sisters Pat Mattson and Corrine Thomas, both of Gregory, SD, Jean Drummond of Bend, WA, Kay Shouse of Vermillion, SD, Linda (George) Boles of Chanhassen, MN, and Sandy (Michael) Murrell of Chelmsford, England; sister-in-law Karen Stukel Karl, sister-in-law Myrna Kucera; sister-in-law Carol (Gary) Robertson; brother-in-law Ron Sinclair; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Frank and Margaret Stukel; father and mother-in-law Ralph and Anne Sinclair; brother Cal Stukel; sister-in-law Lois Sinclair; brothers-in-law Royce Mattson, Larry “Short” Thomas, Ron Drummond, Bill Kucera and Tom Shouse; niece Teresa Thomas; and great-grandson Levi Bruns.