Celebration of life services for Maynard "Slim" Hier of Mobridge, formerly of McLaughlin, will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 11, 2013, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mobridge. Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge is in charge of arrangements. Maynard passed away on April 22, 2013, at Avera St. Luke's Hospital in Aberdeen, with family at his bedside.
Maynard Hier was born on the family farm south of McLaughlin on May 11, 1928, to Norris and Christine (Schmeichel) Hier. Maynard was the fourth son, with three older brothers: Perry, Orn and Lowel and one younger brother, William (Bill) Hier, and one sister, JoAnne. Maynard attended and graduated from McLaughlin High School. After high school, he accepted to play football for Northern State College in Aberdeen. He played one season before returning to McLaughlin to farm with his father.
On July 3, 1949, he married Lorraine Schulz. Maynard accepted a position with the ASC office in McIntosh, maintaining government bin sites.
In 1960, after the passing of his father, Maynard moved his family to his dad's home south of McLaughlin. Maynard then farmed his own land as well as the Hier estate land with his brother, Orn, and built a successful farming operation. Maynard became proficient at welding and did lathe work for himself and people in the surrounding area. He also started a business in the Corson County area where he introduced artificial insemination to improve quality of cattle operations. He became an educator and sales representative for Curtis Breeding Services and Select Sires. Maynard was also an avid outdoorsman that enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping, with his children, neighbors and close friends.
Maynard made the hard decision in early 2000 to sell his longtime family homestead. He moved to Mobridge and spent winters in Arizona, where he loved tending and nurturing the fruit trees he planted over the years.
Maynard was a member of the Masons, Shriners, Moose, and served on the McLaughlin city council, active with the Republican Party, and many other social organizations. He enjoyed gardening, making and smoking sausage and turkeys. He especially enjoyed getting together with his family and grandchildren.
Maynard is survived by his wife, Lorraine, of Mobridge; four sons: Jim (Cheryl) Hier of Olathe, Kan., Tom Hier of Glen Ullin, N.D., David Hier of Sheridan, Wyo., Kenneth (Denise) Hier of Aberdeen; one daughter, Kathryn Hier (Wade Nieuwsma) of Sheridan, Wyo. Also surviving are six grandchildren, one great-grandchild and four stepgrandchildren.