Albert Kelley

Albert "Butch" Kelley

Butch was born September 27, 1948 in Houston, Texas, to Lilly Deckert, one of six children.

He grew up in Porcupine, SD and attended several grade schools in Nebraska, from Rushville to Hastings, before moving to Martin where he attended and graduated from Bennett County High School in 1966.

Butch joined the US Army in 1968 and was discharged in 1970.

He had several jobs from 1970 to 1985, including tending bar for Jan at the Legion, selling feed for Muellers Feed Mill, working for Shannon County Road Department, and riding for Bob Faulk, Big Ten, Pete Cummings and his friends the Coats, Bob Sr, and Jr, but always going back to his home the Deckerts. He then moved back to Porcupine and started ranching with his mother until her death.

Butch enjoyed ranching, rodeo, fishing, playing cards, and Maxie and all of her daycare kids.
He was preceded in death by his parents Bull and Lilly White, his grandparents Bill and Josie Deckert, great uncle Max and one brother Virgil Kelley.

He is survived by sisters Sharon Kay Perry (Bill) and Theresa Leavitt (Mike), brothers Chuck and Doug Lundeen, one uncle Don (Pat) Deckert, one aunt Norma (Steve-deceased) Bestgen and many cousins, nieces, nephews and all of the Harris family and Maxie Bair his "daughter" and all of the Petitts.

Memorial services will be held Tuesday May 22, 2018, 10:00 AM at the New American Legion in Martin, SD. Inurnment with Military Honors will be held at Knight Cemetery, Batesland, SD. A memorial has been established for the Martin American Legion Post #240 and donations may be sent in care of Bennett County Funeral Service, PO Box 65, Martin, SD 57551.

Previous Events