Private family services for Howard Hogrefe, 95, Gregory, were held June 28.
Howard Henry Hogrefe was born Dec. 27, 1925 in Burke, South Dakota to Henry and Agnes (Tasler) Hogrefe.
Howard attended school in Burke and later the family moved to Gregory where he graduated from high school in 1943. He participated in all sports, but especially in football. In the fall of 1943, he enrolled at the University of South Dakota with his eye to play football and major in pre-law. However, the US was heavily involved in WW II at that time and there would be no football.
Howard left school and enlisted in the Navy. Once he completed his military training he was shipped to the Philippines and worked for a floating dry dock as a medical corpsman. When the war ended he received an honorable discharge and returned to Gregory. He began working for his father at Hogrefe’s Clothing.
On April 11, 1948, he married the love of his life, Frances Anna Pochop. To this union three sons were born: Louis (1949), Kent (1950) and James (1952). The family was complete in 1954 when a nephew, Terry Cerney, came to live with them. He was raised by Howard and Fran as a son and brother.
In September of 1952, the family moved to a ranch northeast of Lucas along the Missouri River. The summer of 1961, Don Naper of Gregory approached Howard about purchasing his men’s clothing store. Howard and his family moved back to Gregory in the fall of 1962. Naper Clothing became Hogrefe’s Clothing. Howard developed and expanded a very successful men’s clothing store on Gregory’s busy main street. September of 1971, he added a second store in Winner, South Dakota. As times were changing and his sons growing up with no interest in the clothing business, Howard sold the Gregory store to Skip Sievers in January of 1973 and the Winner store to Jim Stukel in January of 1974.
Howard returned to the ranching business with two of his sons, Kent and Jim. He continued this endeavor for the remainder of his working life. He semi retires and enjoyed traveling from coast to coast with his wife. In 1981, Howard made a trip to Germany to visit his relatives.
Howard and Fran continued living in their home for 50 years. As his health began to decline, he entered the Butte Nursing Home in June of 2018.
Over the years, Howard reflected on his time in the Navy during WW II and how the country came together for a common goal. He enjoyed GHS football and also followed SDSU football on WNAX radio for many years. He was an avid reader and spent many hours at the library. His favorite books the Louie La Mour Westerns.
Howard passed away peacefully to his eternal home on June 22, 2021, at the Butte Nursing Home in Butte, Nebraska. He was 95.
Howard was preceded in death by his parents: Henry (1966) and Agnes (1986). His only sibling, Richard Amand Hogrefe (2019). Also a very special cousin, Werner Wischmann (1975) and aunt Ann Tasler (1971), his brother-in-law George Pochop and nephew Rod Pochop. .
Howard is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 73 years, Frances Anna; his sons: Louis (Vicki) Hogrefe of Spearfish, SD; Terry (Julie) Cerney of Wesley Chappel, FL; Kent (Linda) Hogrefe of Gregory, SD; and Jim (Janice) Hogrefe of Dallas, SD; as well as 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Mary Ann Muxfeldt. Dorothy Uecker, Mary Hogrefe, Fran Pochop and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jim and Marilyn Pochop.
Howard always had a saying, “Do as I say and not as I do
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