HILL CITY- Horace Eugene "Rags" Raga, 85, of Hill City joined his beloved Lord Friday, December 23. He passed away at the Custer Hospital.

He was born May 8, 1931 in Rapid City to Ernest and Mabel (Coen) Raga. He grew up on the Raga homestead near the Keystone Y in the Black Hills. He graduated from Hill City High School where he met his sweetheart of 65 years Delores (Dody) Shafer. They were married at the Little White Church in Hill City September 30, 1951.

He joined the US Navy and flew numerous hours as a radar tech for Naval Air in the Korean War. After serving his country for four years the couple followed their hearts back to the Black Hills where they lived in Hill City since 1954.

He went to work for the US Forest Service in 1955 as a heavy equipment operator and retired in 1983.

He loved to hunt and fish and many great memories were made with his two sons Larry and Ken. His large circle of friends and grandkids all knew that if they were feeling down or bored, Rags would be ready to perk them up with a GREAT story. He always had time for his grandchildren and made sure they were very aware of God's great creation, the Black Hills. Camping, fishing and hunting were always on his agenda with them. Dody was never left out and never missed any of these adventures.

However, as everyone knows, his favorite pastime was chasing those wily whitetails for 75 plus years. His last deer adventure was this year when he bagged a 6X5 whitetail last month, even though his health was failing.

Survivors include his sweetheart Dody, Hill City; two sons, Larry (Anne) Raga, Gillette and Hill City; Ken (Maureen) Raga, Hill City; four grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, December 29, 2016 at Osheim and Schmidt Funeral Home in Rapid City.

Burial will be at the Hill City Cemetery with military honors provided by the U.S. Navy Honor Guard and Rushmore VFW Post 1273.

The family suggests memorials to Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Hill City.