Laurence Peter Geffre
March 18, 1927 — January 30, 2015
Laurence Peter Geffre, 87, of Leola, SD, passed away Friday, January 30, 2015, at Avera St. Luke's Hospital in Aberdeen.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 4, 2015, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Leola with Father Russell Homic officiating.
Burial, with military rites conducted by the Roy S. Hickman Legion Post #78 of Leola, will take place at the church cemetery.
Schriver's Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Friends may sign his online guestbook at schriversmemorial.com.
Visitation will be 6-7 p.m., Tuesday, with a Liturgical Wake Service at 7:00 p.m., all at the church in Leola. Visitation continues one hour prior to Mass at church on Wednesday.
Laurence Peter Geffre was born March 18, 1927, to John and Catherine (Reinbold) Geffre at their homestead in Leola, SD. He was the eleventh child out of sixteen. Laurence attended country school until he graduated from the eighth grade, when he stayed home to help on the farm.
At the age of eighteen, Laurence was drafted into the United States Army and served in Korea from 1946 through 1947.
Laurence was united in marriage to Waneta Meidinger in 1949, and they made their home in Lead, SD. He worked at the Homestake Gold Mine until they moved back to Leola in August of 1966, where Laurence took over the operation of the Meidinger farm, worked for the Mobile Service Station and at the Maier Garage. Laurence then began working at Safeguard Industries in Aberdeen and remained there 23 years until the time of his retirement in 1992. After retirement, he kept busy hobby farming for a while and helping out at his son's convenience store.
During his lifetime, Laurence enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, and spending time with his family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends.
Laurence is survived by his wife of 65 years, Waneta Geffre of Leola, SD; five children: David (Nancy) Geffre of Sioux Falls, SD, Sheri (Lynn) Ketelsen of Rapid City, SD, Debra (Don) Fischer of Grand Forks, ND, Timothy (Carla) Geffre of Leola, SD and Neil (Val) Geffre of Leola, SD; thirteen grandchildren: Joshua, Jessica, Nathan, Derek, Courtney, Laura, Justin, Lucius, Skyler, Jadyn, Tanner, Samantha, and Brady; seven great-grandchildren: Leo, Ari, Charlotte, Lola, Lillian, Caleb, and Elijah; six siblings: Norbert (JoAnne) Geffre of Leola, SD, Herbert (Floreine) Geffre of Colorado Springs, CO, Raymond Geffre of Philadelphia, PA, and Mary Ann Guthmiller, Adrian (Ruth) Geffre and Gordon (Marie) Geffre, all of Aberdeen; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Laurence is preceded in death by his parents and ten brothers and sisters.