RAPID CITY-Duane "Dewey" Smith, age 80, died Saturday, February 04, 2017, as a result of a stroke he suffered on January 24, 2017.

Dewey was born on September 17, 1936 to Ray and Elda (Rausch) Smith at Gorman, SD.  He graduated from Gettysburg High School.

In 1957 Dewey married Donna Comeau, and he farmed and ranched on the family farm until 1960. To this union two children were born, Michael and Nathelle.

Dewey enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1961, and he served 18 months in Ethiopia, Africa as a Military Policeman with the Army Security Agency. He then served one year in Washington, D.C. with the Army Security Agency and was discharged in 1964.

From 1966 to 1978 Dewey owned and operated the Ben Franklin store in Eagle Butte, SD. He then moved to Gettysburg, SD and worked for the SD Game, Fish, and Parks at the Whitlock Bay Recreation Area as a maintenance engineer.

Dewey moved to Rapid City in 1986, owning and operating Keystone Souvenirs in Keystone, SD with Mardy Mitchell until 1996.

Dewey and Mardy were married in a ceremony at Mount Rushmore National Memorial on September 14, 1991.

Dewey and Mardy owned and operated My Favorite Things gift shop in Hill City until their retirement. Always wanting to keep busy, Dewey worked part time for the Hillyard Company and at the Crazy Horse Memorial.  Until his stroke, he was working at Walmart in Rapid City.

Dewey was involved in many organizations. He was the Legion Commander, the Past Master of the Masonic Lodge, and a City Councilman in Eagle Butte, SD. He served on the SD Rodeo Association Board of Directors for three years, and was the chairman of the Dewey County Republicans for two years. Dewey is a member of the Masonic Lodge in Gettysburg and the NAJA Shrine Temple in Deadwood, SD. He was the chairman of the Keystone Chamber of Commerce in 1993, and served on the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce's Diplomats, serving as Diplomat Chairman from 1996 to 1997. In recent years, Dewey volunteered as a United Blood Services driver, and as a Shriner he often drove children and their parents to the Shrine Hospital in Minneapolis, MN for their medical appointments.

More than anything, Dewey enjoyed spending time with Mardy, their family and their friends.

Grateful for having shared Dewey's life are his wife, Mardy Smith of Rapid City; his stepchildren Sherri Rodgers-Conti of Yankton, SD, and Mark Rodgers of Columbus, OH; his children Michael Smith of Kansas City, MO, and Nathelle; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; his sister, Doris Quiett of Gettysburg, SD; his sister-in-law Marcia Bartels of Hugo, MN; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Dewey was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, and one sister, as well as four sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law.

Services will be held on Thursday, Feb., 9, at 11:00 a.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church with the Rev. David Piper officiating.  Visitation will be one hour prior to services.

Interment will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis with full military honors rendered by the Rushmore VFW Post 1273 and the South Dakota Army National Guard.

A memorial has been established for Shriners Hospitals for Children.