Robert Whitney, 85

Funeral services for Robert Whitney, 85, Winner, formerly of Hamill, were held April 15 at the Prairie View Gospel Barn, Gregory. Burial was in the Iona Cemetery.

Robert Harold Whitney was born June 23, 1936, south of Kennebec, SD, on the family farm to Harold and Margaret (Hamer) Whitney. Robert passed away peacefully at the Winner Regional Long-Term Care on April 10, 2022.

  He attended Peyton Country School and then Kennebec High School and graduated in 1954. Robert was drafted into the U.S. Army and stationed in Korea on March 7, 1958, and discharged on March 4, 1960, as private first class.

Bob and Jean (Wagner) Whitney were united in marriage Oct. 26, 1963, in the Zion Lutheran Church in Presho, SD. To this union three boys were born, Delbert, Rodney, and Clayton. Bob and Jean moved to Rapid City, SD, so Jean could finish business classes and he went to work at the Hubbard Feed Mill. Then in 1974 they moved to White River, and Bob worked for a rancher. Finally, they moved to Hamill, SD, on a ranch where Bob resided with his family. He ranched the rest of his life and raised his family on that ranch. Bob’s hobbies were riding horses, visiting neighbors, playing cards with family and friends. He enjoyed having a good cold beer and could roll a cigarette faster than someone could pull it out of their pack. Bob loved seeing his grandkids and great grandkids. In his younger days, he was in the rodeo as a bareback rider and later in life he loved attending rodeos. Bob was a true cowboy with a wild side.

Robert is survived by his children Delbert (Kim) Whitney of Hamill, SD, Rodney (Lori) Whitney of Iona, SD, and Clayton (Holly) Whitney of Gregory, SD; grandchildren Lilly Whitney, Tucker (Tanya) Whitney, Ben and Bonnie Whitney, Zane (Brandi) Whitney and Samantha Whitney; and great grandchildren TJ and Trig Whitney.

He was preceded in death by wife, Jean, father and mother Harold and Margaret Whitney, brother Ronnie Whitney, sister Josie Schoenfelder, sister Betty Worlie, sister-in-law Wanda Whitney, brother-in-law Ken Walling, niece Brenda Stiefvater, nephew Dan Stiefvater, and sister and brother-in-law Vince & Faye Endres.