John B. "Jack" Markitan, 89, of Rapid City, and a former Fairburn area rancher, died on Monday, June 25, 2018.

Jack was born Dec. 14, 1928, to Louis and Emily (Pischel) Markitan, in Knox County NE.

The family moved to SD in 1930, to a ranch near Oral. In 1936, they moved to the Bower place east of Fairburn. Then, in 1937, they permanently settled on the Gerling place, farther east, where French Creek meets the Cheyenne River.

Jack attended grade school at the Bower School, which moved around to whatever vacant building was closest to the rural farmers and ranchers with of age children. He spent 2 years of high school in Fairburn and graduated from Rapid City.

Jack attended a year of college at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, CO, before enlisting in the Army, where he served in Korea and Japan.

On July 7, 1972, he married Raylene K. Schmidt, and they worked the family ranch together. In 2003, they retired and moved to Rapid City.

An avid antique car collector, he founded the Gold Dust Chapter of the Veteran Motor Car Club of America in 1984 and was a member of The Historical Auto Club of the Black Hills. His favorite summer pastime was going on old car tours through the Black Hills.

Jack was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge in Fairburn. He enjoyed attending and participating in community events, and any parade he could get to.

Jack is survived by his daughter, Thresa (Johnny) Goldfuss; and four grandchildren: Alex, Derek, Ian, and Samantha, of Cheyenne, WY.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis 'Chick" and Emily "Millie" Markitan; brother, L. Dean Markitan; and wife, Raylene (Schmidt) Markitan in 2005.