Funeral services for Paul Guggolz, Sr. age 88 of Little Eagle will be 11:00 AM CT Monday, March 31, 2014 at Church of Latter Day Saints, McLaughlin. Private burial at Guggolz Family Cemetery rural Little Eagle under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be Sunday, March 30, 2014 at the church at 6:00 PM with prayer service 7PM. Procession will leave funeral home at 5 PM. Paul passed away Thursday, March 27, 2014 at Golden Living Center in Mobridge.

Paul William Guggolz was born in Arnett, TX, on September 13, 1925 to Dora (Morgen) and Leander Guggolz. He grew up and attended school in Gatesville, TX. After high school Paul continued to work on the family ranch and began to work for Troy Lee Hunt, which included foreman of many ranches and conducting business at the Gatesville Livestock Auction. Due to drought conditions in Texas, Troy Lee purchased a ranch near Walker, SD in 1954. Here, Paul and his fellow Texans discovered smokeless tobacco was not available. Upon their request Skoal, Days Work and Copenhagen began to be sold at Jundt's gas station in McLaughlin. The trips to South Dakota with cattle was seasonal, by the time this ranch was sold Paul had met his life partner, Stella Whitesell. His residence in South Dakota then became permanent. He and Stella purchased land in Little Eagle, built a ranch, and he became a prominent member of the community. In addition to maintaining his own ranch he began work on the Red Owl Ranch in Marcus, SD. His tenure there included working first for Irwin Richardson and then for Joe McTighe. In 1985 he returned to the primary ranch in Little Eagle and began work for John Mickelson and then Mike Mickelson both of McLaughlin, SD, for many years. He retired from ranching in 2006 at the age of 81. Throughout the years he always found time to be an active member of the Little Eagle community including helping the rodeo association, softball league and plowing community gardens.

Paul enjoyed rodeos, carpentry, fishing, card games, traveling when he could, and the company of family and friends. He also enjoyed watching western movies, specifically those staring John Wayne and his all time favorite Lonesome Dove.

Paul is survived by his wife Stella of 48 years. He is also survived by his children, Sandra Loecken of Huntsville, TX, Jade (Mark Garrett) of Rapid City, SD, Paul Jr. (Jamie) of Little Eagle, Katie Hourahan of Sayreville, NJ, David (Teresa) of Mobridge, John (Michelle) of McLaughlin, and Shy of Little Eagle; three step daughters, Leslie Confer of McLaughlin, Rosa Whitesell of Billings, MT, and Lynette (Charles) Winslow of Iowa City, IA; grandchildren, Chris Loecken of Gatesville, TX, James, ShaunWecken and Angie Pacina of Huntsville, TX, Savannah Bassett of Honalulu, HI, Brandon Bassett of Fort Lewis, WA, Christopher Guggolz of Eagle Butte, Kansas Guggolz of Chandler, AZ, Cami Jo Guggolz of Little Eagle, Kevin Kyler and Collin Howrahan of Sayreville, NJ, Dante Archambault and Dace Guggolz of McLaughlin; eleven great grandchildren,

Paul is preceded in death by his parents and sister Marta Franks of Gatesville, TX.

Casketbearers are Paul Guggolz Jr., David Guggolz, John Guggolz, Christopher Guggolz, Kansas Guggolz, Dante Archambault, and Dace Guggolz.

Honorary bearers are the staff at the Golden Living Center, John Timmons Family, Joe McTighe Family, Robert Jay Hunt Family, Onne Hunt Family, MJ Blackman Family, Kim Blackman Family, Kevin Willey Family, Oley Little Eagle Family, Andy Sandland Family.