Thomas Arthur McKee, 98, of Deadwood, passed peacefully at his Black Hills Ranch Home and went to his new home with Jesus on Tuesday March 1, 2016.

Tom was born on February 6, 1918 in Rapid City to Lee and Bessie (Pence) McKee. Bessie later remarried Richard Braithwaite. Tom lived with them on their ranch which is now Spring Brook Acres.

After graduating from Rapid City High School in 1938, he began working for J.C. Penney until he talked to a U.S. Marine Corps Recruiter. He decided to join up and enlisted in Minneapolis on January 4, 1942. He served during WWII in the Asiatic Pacific theatre from January 1943 until May of 1944. He served in the French Caledonia Islands, the New Hebrides and did his R & R in New Zealand, a country and people he loved. Tom achieved Master Sergeant in less than two years, and was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and Rifle and Pistol Marksman Award. Tom loved being in the Marines and said it gave him some of the best experiences of his life. He made many good friends and spoke often of how he missed being an active Marine. Even in his last years, Tom still wanted to reenlist, if they would just take him. He also told stories of working part time in an airplane factory and made a whole silver dollar an hour.

Tom came home to help on the family ranch and bought several Palomino horses and some cattle. Tom always loved horses and riding.

Tom returned to J.C. Penney's after the war, working in the men's department where he could tell anyone's size with one look. He loved his job and all of the people he met there. He even met Mr. J.C. Penney and gave him a four day tour of the Black Hills.

Tom loved to tell the story of how he met Darlene Collins, the "love of his life" at the store. Her father, Martin Collins, was a friend of Tom's and he came in one day with Darlene and introduced them to each other.

Tom and Darlene were married on June 2, 1947 in Hill City.

Tom was transferred to the Havre and Butte, Montana JC Penney stores as manager, before settling back in Rapid City. After living in Rapid City for a few years, they purchased a ranch near Deadwood.

The plans were to only spend the summer at the ranch until they got it set up. But, come August, the family decided that they did not want to return to town.

A country school was found for the school aged children. Darlene was always by his side keeping things going.

Tom continued to work at JC Penney's for 48 years and never missed a day of work. Even when snowed in, he would walk to the highway and hitchhike to work.

Tom and Darlene would have been married 69 years in June. The family remembers how he would always sit with her and sing, "Let Me Call You Sweetheart". To this union came nine children, grateful for having such wonderful parents.

Tom was always concerned about people who were struggling to get by. To this, a memorial has been established to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

He is survived by his wife of almost 69 years, Darlene, and their nine children; Richard (Jody) McKee, Cheyenne, WY, Michael (Karen) McKee, Hill City, Kevin McKee, Nemo, James McKee, Nemo, Kathleen (Joe) Hurley, Sioux Falls, SD, Reni (Don) Nixon, Alzada, Montana, Colleen (Maurice) Adams, Spearfish, Sue McKee, Deadwood and Julie (Donovan) Broberg, Rapid City, 20 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren and a half-sister, Wanda Beck, Eastpointe, MI.

Tom is preceded in death by his father, mother and step-father.

Tom would often tell his family, "We have to get together more, it's later than you think". It's just never enough time.

You are invited to celebrate Tom's life with family and friends from 2:00pm until 4:00pm on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at the Rimrock Evangelical Free Church. At 4:00pm the Marine Corps League, Detachment 484, will present honors followed by a family balloon release. His ashes will be buried at a future date with military honors at Black Hills National Cemetery.