The funeral for Harvey Thayer will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, at the First Presbyterian Church of Britton with the Rev. Terrill Sorensen officiating. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the church.
Harvey passed away Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, at the Marshall County Healthcare Center in Britton at age 80.
Private family inurnment of his cremains will take place at a later date in the Britton Cemetery. His arrangements have been entrusted to the Price Funeral Chapel of Britton.
Harvey Harold Thayer was born Oct. 10, 1932, in Britton to Harold Mearle and Lucille Genevieve (Freiss) Thayer. He grew up on the family farm and attended rural Marshall County Schools, before graduating from Britton High School in 1951. After receiving his education, Harvey served his country in the U.S. Army from Jan. 8, 1953, to Jan. 7, 1955.
On Dec. 23, 1953, Harvey was united in marriage with Joanne Kay Aves in Britton. Following Harvey's honorable discharge from military duty, they settled in the Minneapolis area, where Harvey was in management with Sears Roebuck and Company. They returned to Britton in 1972, where Harvey bought the Ford Dealership. In 1975, Harvey helped purchase and operate the Hunters. In 1983, Harvey replaced the Ford dealership with a TV and appliance store. The last 24 years of his work life, Harvey had an American Family Insurance agency. Harvey was an entrepreneur who ran several businesses throughout his life.
Wildlife conservation was always at the forefront of Harvey's life. In 1975, Gov. Richard Kneip appointed Harvey to a five-year term on the Game Fish and Parks Board. Harvey was instrumental in helping to establish a dove season in South Dakota. In 1981, he was awarded the Governor's Award for South Dakota Conservationist of the Year. At the request of Gov. Bill Janklow, Curt Jones and Bob Duerre, Harvey dedicated 10 years of service to the Fort Sisseton Restoration committee. He was active in Ducks Unlimited for 30 years and had served as Marshall County chairman for over 10 years. One week ago, on Jan. 26, 2013, Harvey was awarded the South Dakota Ducks Unlimited Heritage Award for his life's accomplishments and was inducted into the DU Hall of Fame.
Harvey was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Britton. He also belonged to Marshall Post No. 80 of the American Legion of Britton. In 1975, he became a member of the Benevolent Lodge of Britton and served as an officer from 1989 to 1994. He later became a part of the Scottish Rite and Yelduz Shrine.
Harvey passed his love of wildlife on to his children and grandchildren. Nothing thrilled him more than to be able to teach a youngster how to fish or hunt and then be there when they caught their first fish or brought down their first bird. He was proud to have been the driving force behind the establishment of the Britton Classic Fishing Tournament held annually at Roy Lake.
Grateful for having shared his life are his wife of 59 years, Joanne Thayer; his children: Brent and Becky Thayer, Lori Hofer, Jeff Thayer, Scott and Jan Thayer; his grandchildren: Jennifer and Jerod Hudelson, Paul Thayer (Cyndy Grandpre), Lisa Murphey (Jared Pearson), Nicole (Matt) Henley, Michelle Hofer (Levi Peters), Dustin Hofer, Laken (Michael) Atkinson, Tyler Thayer (Sheresa Schroeder), Landon Thayer, Dakota Thayer; his great-grandchildren: Gage and Chaylen Murphey, Bo Pearson, Joey Hudelson, Treyton and Tanner Atkinson; his step-grandchildren: Blake (Amy) Furman, Kyle (Christy) Furman; his stepgreat-grandchildren: Christopher and Christian Furman, Pythia and Keith Furman; and his siblings: Joyce Kristofferson, Duane Thayer, Doris "Tug" (Marvin) Beck, Marlis "Molly" Williams, Claudia "Pudgie" McMahan, Renae (Robert) Schroeder; and many nieces, nephews and their families.
Preceding Harvey in death were his parents.
An online guestbook and obituary is available at pricefuneralchapel.net.