R. Thornton Vallery      Nisland, SD

Funeral Services for R. Thornton Vallery will be held at Nisland Independent Church on Friday, November 12th 2004 at 10am. Burial will follow at Pineslope Cemetery. Visitation will take place at the funeral home on Thursday, November 11th from 1:00pm to 4:30pm, from 6:30pm to 8:00pm at Nisland Independent Church, and one hour prior to services at the church. Services are under the direction of the Funeral Home of the Northern Hills, Belle Fourche.

Robert Thornton Vallery was born February 26, 1928 in Belle Fourche to Philip and Helen (Masters) Vallery. Thornton grew up on the homestead southwest of Nisland along the Belle Fourche River.

He attended Belle Fourche High School and graduated in 1945. He joined the US Navy in December 1945. He served aboard the USS Caiman from 1946-47 as a Torpedo Master 1st Class and returned home to South Dakota after tours in the Pacific and the Artic. Upon his return home, Thornton enrolled in college at Dakota Wesleyan in Mitchell to study Forestry. After the death of his brother, Donald in 1948, he returned home to assist his parents with the family ranch. He later started Val-Flow, Inc., an irrigation and welding business, helping out area ranchers with their irrigation needs and projects.

He married Gwenn Earles on September 3, 1950 in Mitchell. Together they had three children and celebrated 54 years of marriage.

Thornton had been active in Butte County Farm Bureau, Butte County Historical Society, Masonic Temple and the Belle Fourche Centennial. He held various offices throughout the years.

Robert Thornton Vallery died peacefully on Saturday, November 6, 2004 at his ranch home.

He is survived by his wife, Gwenn; sons Rick (Carrel) Vallery of Ft. Pierre, Randy (Rhonda) Vallery of Nisland and a daughter, Rene' Vallery of Pierre (special friend Terry LaFrance); four grandchildren: Sonia (Jim) Morrison of Hopewell, Illinois; Travis (Kerri) Vallery of Pierre; Dallas Vallery (fiancee Tara McElroy) of Rapid City and Codi Vallery of Nisland. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren: Chase and Reagan Vallery of Twentynine Palms, California; Ryan and Grant Morrison of Hopewell, Illinois. Also by his sister, Phylis Gotfredson of Belle Fourche and sister-in-law, Kay Vallery of DeSmet. In addition, he is survived by several sister and brother-in-laws and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Donald and Verlon Vallery. A memorial has been established to Hillside School for renovations, Northern Hills Hospice, or a charity of your choice.