Fairburn - Ralph Churchill, 95, died at his home in Fairburn on Sunday, September 21, 2014. Ralph "Jr." Churchill was born July 3, 1919 at the Strater home south of Hermosa, SD to Ralph Hart and Olive Kimball Churchill. He attended elementary school at Urban (south of Hermosa), Fairburn, and Hermosa. He also completed almost two years of high school at Hermosa. Jr. worked for Summit Construction at the gravel pit south of Hermosa while the highway from Hermosa to Custer State Park was being built. In 1937 he started working for his Dad as a section worker on the railroad. Beginning in 1941 he worked at the Rapid City Air Base (now Ellsworth Air Force Base) as a sheet metal worker and later worked in the propeller repair department. In 1945 he and his brother, Jack, bought Ted Zecchin's truck and began trucking locally. When Jack was drafted they sold the truck and Jr. went to work as a ranch hand for Eva Stenger. Following that he spent a year near Wilbaux, Montana doing ranch work with Mote Brickley. He then returned to Hermosa and worked for Western Cattle Company at the Stenger Ranch, the Hart Ranch, and also the Battle Creek Ranch where Keith Robertson was foreman. Great memories, wild tales, and lifelong friendships resulted. It gave him great joy reminiscing about those days. Jr. married Bernice Hedlun on January 25, 1958. They bought a ranch near Fairburn in 1961 and remain there today. They were blessed with three children: Robin, Connie, and Clyde. He was a past member of the Hermosa Rifle Club, the Hermosa Roping Club, and an active 46 year member of the Fairburn Odd Fellow Lodge #235. He is survived by his wife, Bernice; daughters, Robin Gorsuch, and Connie (Mell) Steen; seven grandchildren, Kane (Amber) Steen, Matt (Jamie) Steen, Chelsea Steen, Ryan (Elena) Gorsuch, Sarah Gorsuch, Adriel Gorsuch, Kayla (Bobbie) Spencer; four great grandchildren, Ella, Dexter, and Brixton Steen, and Dmitrii Gorsuch. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Jack, son Clyde, and grandson Jonathan Gorsuch. Visitation will be Friday, September 26, 5 - 7 pm, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home, 2700 Jackson Boulevard, Rapid City. Funeral services are Saturday, September 27, at 10 am, at the Fairburn Civic Center with burial to follow at the Fairburn Cemetery. An online guestbook for Jr. may be signed at www.osheimschmidt.com