South Dakota legislators pay tribute to recently departed predecessors
Memorial honors 13 former lawmakers who served in their communities and at state Capitol
PIERRE — After South Dakota lawmakers finished their work Thursday, they transitioned into a yearly tradition of paying respects to their predecessors who passed away in the last year and a half.
In all, 13 former South Dakota legislators who represented constituents from across the state were honored during the Joint Memorial Service of the House of Representatives and Senate, held in the House chamber.
(Excerpts pulled from official program)
Dr. Richard (Dick) Belatti, Sr.
January 20, 1928 - October 23, 2023
Born in Watertown. Dick graduated from Watertown Senior High School in 1945. He attended the University of South Dakota for one year before enlising with the U.S. Army and serving two years in Japan. Richard graduated in 1951 from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, Creighton University in Omaha, VE in 1956 with his MD, and the Anesthesiology program in 1979 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Dick and Marilyn were married in 1954. He and his family moved to Madison, SD in 1959. He served on the Lake Central School Board and as city Health Director. He was Prairie Village Co-Chairman of fundraising, a Prairie Historical Society board member, and a member of the Lake County Historical Society. He was a Board member of The Catholic Foundation of Eastern South Dakota and the South Dakota Lung Association.
Dick moved with his family to Sioux Falls, SD in 1979 where he practiced Anesthesiology at Sioux Valley Hospital.
Upon his retirement from medical practice in 1993, Dick and Marilyn moved back to Madison. He was appointed to the South Dakota Board of Regents and was a member of the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, Rotary, and regularly served as a lector at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Madison.
Dick served in the Senate from 1989 to 1992 and the House from 1995 to 1998. He represented Minnehaha, Lake and Moody counties.
John (Jack) Billion
March 4, 1939 - February 25, 2023
Born in Sioux Falls, Jack attended Cathedral High School and graduated in 1957. Jack attended Loras College in Dubuque, IA. He made the Dean's list his entire college career and particularly enjoyed math and sciences and competing for the Loras tennis team. Jack completed medical school at the Loyola-Strich School of Medicine in Chicago, IL in orthopedics.
During college, he met Linda Lambur. They married in 1962 and together brought five children into the world. In 1980, Jack married Debora Wagner and they had two children together.
After his time at Loras College, following two years in the Air Force, Jack returned to Sioux Falls in 1971 and served the region as an orthopedic surgeon for the next 26 years.
Jack served as Chief of Surgery and Chief of Staff at McKennan Hospital. In 1980, Jack founded the Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Clinic in Sioux Falls. Under his direction and leadership, the clinic grew, eventually developing into the Orthopedic Institute of Sioux Falls.
Over the years, he contributed to numerous boards and committees, including many years of service on the Dakota Wesleyan University Board of Trustees and many years of service on the board of the Children's Specialty Hospital, now known as LifeScape. Jack worked closely with the USD Medical School as a clinical professor and eventually head of the School's Orthopedic Surgery section.
Jack served on the LRC Executive Board from 1993-1996, and as Minority Whip from 1995-1996. He represented Minnehaha County in the House of Representatives from 1993 to 1996.
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Robert J. Burns
September 28, 1930 - October 25, 2022
Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Burns graduated from O'Gorman High School in 1964 and attended the University of South Dakota, where he earned his bachelor's degree and then his Juris Doctor in 1973.
On June 7, 1968, Bob married Susan Carmen Markley and they raised four children together during their 43 years of marriage.
Burns met Laurie McDowell in 2012 and they spent 10 years creating happy memories together in Minneapolis, MN and Tulsa, OK.
He was a member of the South Dakota Bar Association for 50 years and in 1992 was voted "Trial Lawyer of the Year" by his peers.
In 2022, he moved to Seattle to be closer to family and there he met and fell in love with Karen Sprague. He represented a portion of Minnehaha County from 1975 to 1976.
Marie C. Ingalls
March 31, 1936 - April 15, 2023
Born in Faith, Ingalls lived on a homestead ranch five miles east of town. She attended school in Faith and graduated as Valedictorian from Faith High School in 1954. A year later, she married the love of her life, Dale Ingalls. They lived near Opal, SD, on the Ingalls Angus Ranch in Meade County, where they raised two children, Duane and Delane.
She started teaching in rural schools in 1956, while working towards her teaching certification. She taught grades kindergarten through 8th grade for nine years, and achieved her M.S. in School Administration at Black Hills State, then working as Principal for Meade County rural schools from 1976-1981. She was also a secretary at Boeing Industries (during missile base activity in the area), as well as a community piano teacher and part-time pianist as a member of Opal Community Church.
Marie was active in business and civic affairs. In 1978, she started the Ingalls Department Store in Sturgis and the Hilltop Store in Faith a few years later. She enjoyed being a 4-H leader for 15 years and served in leadership positions in numerous organizations, including the SD Stockgrowers Association, South Dakota Farm Bureau, Meade County and SD GOP Women, and the Sturgis and Faith Chambers of Commerce.
Marie served as a Majority Whip from 1991 to 1992, and was a delegate to several Republican Conventions. She represented Meade County in the House of Representatives from 1987 to 1992.
Barry M. Jensen
August 13, 1945 - September 17, 2023
Born on August 13, 1945, in Kadoka, Bary attended White River Public school, graduating in 1963. He attended college at South Dakota State University for two years before transferring to Kansas State University, where he graduated with a degree in science and agriculture. Barry married his high school classmate and sweetheart Kathryn Mickel in 1965. Following graduation, they moved back to South Dakota to go into the ranching business with his parents.
Barry taught science at the White River Public School, later retiring from teaching and returning to ranching full time. He continued to run the Jensen Cattle Corporation ranch until his death.
Barry served on the Board of Education, organized the first Tiger Booster Club, and was instrumental in organizing the school alumni association. Barry served as a Mellete Coumty Commissioner and on many boards including the Country Pride Co-op of Winner; Farmland Industries and the Cooperative Finance Association, both of Kansas City, Missouri; Southern Plains Behavioral Health of Winner; Missouri Valley Insurance Company of Burke; and South Dakota Organizations of Cooperatives. Barry was appointed by Governor Dennis Daugaard to the South Dakota Game, Fish, & Parks Commission. He was also a member of the White River Masonic Lodge #181 of White River, The Order of Eastern Star #126 of White River, and the White River United Methodist Church.
Barry was an LRC Executive Board Member from 2005 to 2006. He represented Bennett, Hakkon, Jackson, Jones, Lyman, Mellette and Tripp counties in the House of Representative from 2001 to 2002, and 2005 to 2006.
William C. (Bill) Johnson
April 16, 1928 - August 31, 2023
Born on a farm south of Madison, Bill attended Orland Township School, leaving school to help his family on the farm full-time. In September 1946, he left the farm and volunteered at age 18 to serve in the post-WWII US Army Occupation Forces in Japan, and advanced to US Army Sergeant before his honorable discharge in December 1947.
He returned to Madison and over the next 50 plus years, he was a steward of the family acreage with his brother Bernie.
Bill married Jolene in 1970.
Bill was a member of the National Farmers Organization, Dakota Rural Action, The Center for Rural Action, St. Thomas Catholic Church, the National Catholic Rural Life Board, Knights of Columbus, the Orland Township Board, and the VFW & American Legion.
He represented Lake, Moody, and Minnehaha counties in the House from 1993 to 1994.
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John B. Jones
March 30, 1927 - January 30, 2023
Born in Mitchell as the eldest child of a Lyman County homesteader, Jones grew up in Presho. Jones enlisted in the US Navy in 1945 and saw service in the naval occupation forces in Japan.
John graduated from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, where he obtained a degree in Business Administration in 1951 and law degree in 1953. While attending college, John met and married Rosemary Wermers in 1950. After graduating from law school, John established a solo law firm in Presho. That same summer, he was appointed County Judge of Lyman County. John continued to practice law until he was appointed to the South Dakota Circuit Court in 1967 by Governor Nils Boe. He presided as a state judge, with his office in Kennebec until 1981, when President Ronald Reagan appointed him to the federal judiciary as a United States District Court Judge for South Dakota, assigned to the Sioux Falls federal court. In 2002, the South Dakota Trial Lawyers association presented Judge Jones with the Fred J. Nichol Award for Outstanding Jurist.
John's service memberships include the Elks, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Lions Club, Presho Methodist Church, Lambda Chi Alpha social fraternity, and Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. He also served as a Boys State Counselor and president and vice president of the South Dakota Boys State Corporation.
He represented Jones, Lyman, and Stanley counties in the House from 1957 to 1960.
Richard (Dick) Kelly
March 14, 1941 - January 13, 2023
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Dick graduated from Washington Senior High School in 1958. He attended college at St. Thomas University and graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration in 1965. After graduation, he returned to Sioux Falls to run the family-owned business, the Town House Motel and Black Watch restaurant & lounge. On December 30, 1961, he was united in marriage to Karolyn Krambeck for 14 years. In 1978 he met and married Mary Swift McDonough in Sioux Falls.
Dick was elected for two consecutive terms on the Sioux Falls City Council. In 2008, he was elected to the Minnehaha County Commission in which he served until 2016. He served as a member on many boards within the community including the Airport Board, Downtown Rotary, Fraternal Order of Police Associates, Leadership Sioux Falls, Chamber of Commerce, Safe Home, and the Carroll Institute. Dick faithfully attended and volunteered at The Point is to Serve Church in Sioux Falls.
Jerome B. (Jerry) Lammers
May 29, 1937 - May 9, 2023
Jerry was born May 29, 1937, in Madison. After graduating from Madison High School in 1955, Jerry attended undergraduate and law school at the University of South Dakota, finishing in 1961, before joining his father in his law practice.
Jerry married Nancy Jones in 1961.
Jerry served as State Bar Commissioner from 1973 to 1975, and as a Member of the Board of Directors for the South Dakota Cement Plant Commission from 1995 to 2010. In 2012, Jerry was inducted into the Dakota State University Innovators and Influencers Hall of Fame.
Jerry was also active on many local organizations and boards in Madison. His life-long commitment to the Kiwanis organization is just one of the ways Jerry showed a steadfast commitment to the community he called home.
During his time with the Legislature from 1977 to 1992 representing Lake, Moody, and Minnehaha counties, Lammers served as Speaker Pro Tempore 1981-1982, Speaker of the House 1983-1984, Assistant Majority Leader 1986, House Majority Leader 1987-1992, Executive Board member 1979-1986, Executive Board Chair 1979-1980.
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David S. Laustsen
June 13, 1947 - January 6, 2023
Born on June 13, 1947, in Racine, Wisconsin, Laustsen graduated from Aberdeen Central High School in 1965, and Northwestern University in 1969 with a B.S. in radio/television/film. He and Jean were married May 13, 1972, in Old Greenwich, CT.
David owned and operated KKAA and KQAA-FM in Aberdeen. He resigned from the Senate in 1987 to attend Temple Law School in Pennsylvania.
David was President of the Aberdeen Boys and Girls Club and enjoyed traveling with Jean, ham radios, model trains, and spending time with his family.
He represented Brown County in the House from 1977 to 1984, and the Senate from 1985 to 1987.
Gene N. Lebrun
July 4, 1939 - July 23, 2023
Gene Lebrun was born on July 4, 1939, in Langdon, North Dakota. Gene graduated from St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota in 1961, where he studied political science and history. After graduation he moved to Sioux City to work for the Social Security Administration. Gene married Pat Olson in 1963.
Gene returned to North Dakota to attend law school at the University of North Dakota. Following graduation he and Pat moved to Rapid City, where he joined Whiting, Lynn, Jackson & Shultz, now Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, P.C. and practiced until his retirement.
Gene served on the Uniform Laws Commission, the Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce as part of the Internet Tax Freedom Act, and was a member of the South Dakota Streamlined Sales Tax Force. Gene was a member of the South Dakota School of Mines Foundation, served on the Mount Rushmore Society Board of Directors, was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2012.
During his time in the House representing Pennington County from 1971 to 1974, Gene served as an LRC Executive Board member and Speaker of the House during his last two years in the legislature.
Edwin (Ed) Olson
August 1, 1947 - July 15, 2023
Born August 1, 1947, in New York, New York, Ed graduated from West Islip High School in West Islip, New York. Olson moved to South Dakota to attend Dakota Wesleyan University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree. He attended South Dakota State University for his Masters in Education. He married Diane Pazour.
Olson was a teacher, a coach, and later a principal in the Mitchell School District until 1999.
Ed served on the Board of directors of the Mitchell YMCA, the Mitchell Exchange Club, as well as numerous education associations and boards. He was Avera Queen of Peace Hospital Foundation Director, and the Executive Director of the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village.
Olson represented Aurora, Davison, and Douglas counties in the House from 1987 to 1994, and the Senate from 2001 to 2008.
While in the legislature, Olson was chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee, Senate Education Committee, and an assistant House majority whip. He served as Executive Board chair from 2005 to 2006.
Franklin (Frank) Simpson
September 9, 1929 - January 27, 2023
Born in Ipswich, Frank attended Marion College, now Indian Wesleyan University, where he met Doris Burns. They were married in 1949.
In 1965, Frank and Doris established Simpson's Printing. He was a founding partner of the local NBC affiliate NewsCenter 1. He and Doris were a pioneering force in founding what would become Fountain Springs Church.
Frank had a keen interest in real estate and was an avid entrepreneur. He developed 200 acres of Fountain Springs business park, along with many entrepreneurial ventures. Frank had a reputation for being able to negotiate with both tact and persistence.
Frank served on the Appropriations Committee during his service in the legislature. He represented Pennington County in the House from 1975 to 1976, and the Senate from 1977 to 1978.
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