Funeral services for Calvin "Junior" Smith, 90, of Lantry, will be at 1:00 pm (MT), Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at Cal & Bailey Peterson's Ranch, Bear Creek,SD. Burial will take place at the Smith Family Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home. Lunch will be served prior to burial. A prayer service will begin at 5:00 pm (MT), Monday, April 6, 2026, at Cal & Bailey Peterson's Ranch, Bear Creek,SD. "Junior" passed away on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lantry. 
Directions to the Ranch -
From Dupree- 2 miles East turn North Hwy 65 then go 2 miles North, turn on gravel road East for 5 miles, turn south for ¼ mile 
From Lantry- ⅛ East turn North on Bear Creek Road 6 miles
Signs will be posted

Calvin “Junior” Smith was born February 29, 1936 to Calvin and Velma (Holloway) Smith in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, at their home. He was welcomed by his sister Mary Vee who loved him so and then came along his brother & best friend for life Chuck.

From the very beginning, Junior was raised in the cowboy way of life. He spent much of his childhood with his grandparents, Charlie and Ida Holloway, on their homestead, as well as at his uncle John and Murphy Holloway’s ranch. Before he was old enough for school, he was already riding his pony out to help. His uncle would send him out to ride fence and check cattle. Not yet knowing how to read, he memorized the brand and drew them when he got back—his own way of learning the work.

Junior grew up surrounded by old cowboys and their stories. He listened closely, remembering every tale, and later in life, he became a storyteller himself—retelling those same stories and his own adventures to anyone willing to listen.

He attended grade school in Eagle Butte, where he spent his days alongside lifelong friends Dean Reeves, Buzz Reeves, Scope Yellowhead, and others. Together, those boys and Juniors brother Chuck even built their own arena south of town, they went to the river and cut every pole down. They dug and tamped every hole by hand to get their arena built. After finishing, the community would often gathered to watch them ride broncs.

By the eighth grade, Junior had decided he had learned enough in the classroom—his future was on horseback. Cowboying wasn’t just something he did; it was who he was. He went to work alongside his uncles Shorty and John Holloway, something he would continue for many years, eventually bringing his own children along to work beside him.

Around the age of 16, Junior headed to Arizona to work for the Boquillas Cattle Company. There, he experienced a different kind of cowboying—battling mesquite thorns and sand that found its way into everything. He told stories of the Chiricahua Mountains, exploring caves filled with arrowheads and ancient drawings. Though it was an adventure, his heart was always pulling him back home—to South Dakota, and to his one true love, Rhea Lou.

Their love story began when Junior was just a boy at a dance in Eagle Butte. While the adults were dancing, he gathered the courage to ask Rhea if she would share an ice cream malt with him. She said yes—but he didn’t have the money. So he borrowed 25¢ from his Uncle Shorty, and that simple moment became the beginning of a lifelong love.

He asked Rhea Lou to marry him when she was just 14, and she told him, “I have to finish high school first.” And so began his life waiting on Lou. While she attended Stephan School, Junior worked and traveled, but he never stopped thinking of her. He wrote her letters whenever he could—often asking friends like Scope to write them for him when he struggled to put the words on paper himself. When letters weren’t enough, he’d drive to Stephan, of course all the boys would have to go with him, sometimes 7 guys piled up in a single cab pickup just so Junior could see his Lou.

During Rhea’s junior year of high school, he asked her again—this time with a ring—and she said yes. After her graduation, the two eloped to Pierre, South Dakota, on July 12, 1956. Junior brought Rhea home to Bear Creek, where they built a life together—raising their children, horses, and cattle—for nearly 70 years.

Together, they were blessed with ten children: Dean Delbert, Kim Meri, Robert Glenn, Floyd Allen (Skeeter), Jacqueline Ida, Dugan Charles, Lyle Leslie, Lorita Jane, Jae Mackenzie, and Callie Lou.

Rodeo was always a major part of Junior’s life. He rode broncs at RCA and SDRA rodeos. After a few years and starting a family, he stepped away from competing and became a judge for many area rodeos. His love for rodeo never faded, and over the years, he could be found watching and supporting his children and grandchildren at countless performances.

Beyond rodeo, Junior had a deep love for raising cattle and good horses—making sure his kids were always mounted. Each fall, for over 40 years, they trailed cattle 20 miles from summer pasture to Lantry, no matter the weather—rain, snow, or shine. He was known as a hardworking and dependable neighbor, always willing to lend a hand, often bringing his crew of kids along to brandings across the area.

In later years, back trouble kept him from riding, something that was hard for him. But he adapted, getting himself a ranger that allowed him to keep going wherever he needed to be—checking on the work, watching over the boys, and pointing out anything that needed fixing.

Junior was a man who was easy to like. He was known for his integrity, his strong work ethic, and his ability to fix just about anything. If he built something, it was built to last. His hands were rough and calloused reflecting a lifetime of work and anyone who shook his hand knew how strong he was. Those hands also held a quiet tenderness—especially for the greatest joys of his life, his grandchildren. We all know Dad and Jacquline are at the gate “waiting on Lou.”