Robert N. Beals age 82 of Belle Fourche, died Wednesday November 16th, 2005 at the Spearfish Regional Hospital.

The Memorial Service will be held 1pm Monday at the United Methodist Church in Belle Fourche with Rev. Paul Howard officiating. There will be no visitation. Inurnment will be held 3pm Monday at the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis. Arrangements have been entrusted to Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the United Methodist Church.

Robert Beals was born January 20, 1923 at Vale, SD to Albert Beals and Alma (Lyke) Beals where his father worked for the Belle Fourche Irrigation District. The family moved to Belle Fourche in 1929 when Bob was 6 years old. They lived at the diversion dam where his father continued his work for the irrigation district. Bob attended school in Belle Fourche. While attending Belle Fourche High School he lettered in sports all four years and began playing the bass drum in the high school band. He graduated in 1941. He worked in the Belle Fourche and Rapid City areas before entering the military in February 1943.

Bob served in the Army and was deployed to Europe during WWII. He was a Staff Sergeant and was a combat medic with the medical detachment of the 39th Infantry. He was honorably discharged in April 1946.

He married Doris L. Ericson on October 14, 1944. They lived in Portland, OR where Bob worked for United Airlines for a short time. They returned to Belle Fourche where Bob was the local distributor of Puritan Oil products in the Tri-State area for a few years. In 1950 they moved to the Ericson family ranch north of Belle Fourche where they spent nearly 30 years sheep ranching. The family ranch was sold in 1976 and they moved into Belle Fourche where they purchased the Corner Cleaners, a dry cleaning business. They and their children were also owners of the Lariat Motel in Belle Fourche during the later 1980's. They operated this for a few years until moving into semi retirement. Bob continued to stay busy by driving a delivery van for a Harold's Photos Company around the northern Black Hills area until his late 70's. Doris passed away in October 1994.
In 1996 Bob and Betty Didier were married in Belle Fourche. They enjoyed their nine years together continuing to live in Belle Fourche. They spent many happy days camping, fishing, traveling and caring for their yard and garden together.

While on the ranch, Bob was an active member of the Western South Dakota Sheep Growers Association. He was a member of the Belle Fourche Cowboy Band and the United Methodist Church choir for many years. He loved being part of those groups, singing hymns and playing marching music.

His loves were his family, his church, the Cowboy Band, football and the people of the Belle Fourche area.

He is survived by his wife Betty Beals of Belle Fourche, one sister Ruth Beals of Belle Fourche, daughters Adrienne Huckins of Belle Fourche and Robin (John) Wilkins of Westminster, CO, son Eric (Maureen) of Belle Fourche. Four grandchildren Michael (Kelly) Merriman of Columbus, OH, Robert (Mandy) Merriman of Peoria, AZ, Keri Beals of Belle Fourche and Steve (Lila) Beals of Rapid City. And one great-grandson Benjamin Merriman of Columbus, OH. Also step children Cynthia (Jim) Walker and Bill Didier of Belle Fourche. Step grandchildren Carrie (Dusty) Smallwood and Christopher Walker of Oklahoma City, OK, Cory Walker of Denver, CO, Joshua Didier in the Army stationed in Germany and Lacey Didier of Spearfish.

Bob was preceded in death by his first wife Doris, his parents, three brothers James, Howard and Allen, two half brothers Louis and Bernard Shoop and a son-in-law Gary Huckins.

Funeral Home of the Northern Hills
Belle Fourche - 605-892-3320