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Jack L. Rafferty, age 83, of Lemmon, SD, passed away on Sunday, June 30, 2024 at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, ND, with his family by his side.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at St. Mary's Catholic Church at 10:30 a.m.  Fr. Adam Hofer will officiate and burial with Full Military Honors will follow at Greenhill Cemetery in Lemmon.  Visitation will be from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 8, 2024 followed by a Rosary/Gathering of Family and Friends service at 4:00 p.m. all at Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon.

Jack L. Rafferty was born on February 2, 1941 in Lemmon, SD to Owen and Mary (Friesz) Rafferty. He received his GED from Lemmon High School and joined the Air Force. On July 5, 1963, Jack married his beloved wife, Carol Potter.

Jack was a friend to adventure, and pursued this friendship through hunting, fishing, finding fossils, and collecting petrified wood. He was always keen to report any wildlife he had seen on a trip, and capture many pictures as proof.

His love for the outdoors transferred to the indoors as well. Jack was able to brandish any artistic utensil with skill. From paints, to pencils, he wielded them to the end- producing beautiful reproductions of animals and majestic scenery. He also spent hours doing puzzles, and fed his creativity with a love of reading westerns, to the point of inventing two cowboy characters himself: Charlie Rose and Rusty

This hunger for life naturally led to a competitive spirit. He enjoyed playing board games, cards, and lawn games with his family. He kept up with major sports, and became accustomed to disappointment as he was an avid Vikings fan. This, however, never took away from his playful self. He was a frequent jokester, brought fun wherever he went, and riled up his grand-children to a frenzy.

Jack is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 50 years, Carol; parents, Owen and Mary Rafferty; mother-in-law, Edna Potter; brother-in-law, William; brothers, Cliff (Zeda) and Larry (Karen) Rafferty; infant grandchildren, Joshua, Aaryn, and twins James and John; and numerous other beloved family members.

Jack is survived by his children, Debbie, Doug, and Deanna (Douglas) Jilek; grandchildren, Emily (Greg) Tibor, Isaiah, Nathaniel, Jeremiah, Elijah, and Maryana; great-grandchildren, Eden, Aria, Ivy, and Roman Tibor; siblings, Charles (Marie) Rafferty, Marlis Barth, Arlette (Dan) Schweitzer, and Darlene Riddell; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and their families.