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Mass of Christian Burial for Wally Grage, age 65, will be at 10 AM MT, Monday, December 31, 2018 at the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Timber Lake. Burial will be in the Timber Lake Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. A Scriptural Wake Service will be held at 5 PM Sunday with visitation starting at 4 PM at the church. Walter passed away December 26, 2018 at his home in Timber Lake, SD.

Walter (Wally) Frank Grage Jr. was born on April 24, 1953 to Walter and Phyllis (Biegler) Grage in Mobridge, SD. He was the 3 ^rd of 8 children. Wally grew up at the family farm which was located 2 miles NE of Timber Lake, SD. His father passed away when Wally was just 5 years old, and as a result, he and his siblings learned quickly how to tend to the livestock and daily chores on the ranch. Wally attended grade school at the Holy Cross Catholic School in Timber Lake, SD. He talked often of the lessons he learned there. He attended high school at Timber Lake High School and graduated in 1971.

Wally was a standout athlete in high school, earning numerous awards in basketball such as All District and All Conference. Immediately after high school, he went to work for Moreau Grand Electric as a Lineman. While he was employed at Moreau Grand, he also began to ranch full time, at his parent's home place. He married Marilyn (Butchie) Ducheneaux with son Deb Allen of Promise, SD in 1977. A son, Walter Wayde was born in 1977 and another son, Kerry Michael in 1980. He raised Hereford cattle for a time and then transitioned to Angus cattle. His Uncle Alfred Biegler let him pick from the top end of his heifer calves and that is where he started his herd. He would remain in the cattle industry for many years.

He enjoyed the outdoors. He was an avid hunter and enjoyed fishing as well in his younger years. He enjoyed bragging to his kids and later grandkids about how good of a shot he was. He also trapped for many years. He enjoyed playing cards with family and friends. He was very competitive and you definitely would hear about it if you didn't play the right card! He liked to shoot pool, and was named the SD State 8 ball champion around 1975.

In his later years, he was employed by Foothills Construction where he operated heavy machinery building roads throughout SD and ND. He resided in Bowman ND for many of these years. He made many great friends during this time. He never met a stranger. If you were his friend, you were a friend for life.

Wally is survived by his children, Deb (Heidi) Ducheneaux of Timber Lake, SD, Wally (Jackie) Grage of Selby, SD, and Kerry Grage of Dickinson, ND, grandchildren, Morgan, Brandt, and Cole Ducheneaux, Blaine, Lauren, and Wayde Grage, and Collin, Callie, and Karstin Grage, siblings Sheila (Val) Schweitzer, Timber Lake, SD, Jim (Rita Sue) Grage, Albuquerque, NM, Mike (Lori) Grage, Timber Lake, SD, Martha Yudicky, NY, Richard (Rachel) Martian, Whiting, IA, and Robert Martian, Timber Lake, SD, Uncle Emil (Mary Anne) Biegler, Timber Lake, SD, Aunt Marie Biegler, Rapid City, SD and Mary Biegler, Mobridge, SD.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Phyllis Grage, his sister Dorothy Grage, grandparents Ben and Mary Biegler and Rudolph and Anna Grage, Uncles Alfred Biegler and Pius Biegler.