July 27, 1932 – December 17, 2024
Funeral services for Gordon Chalmers, 92, of Lowry were held Saturday, December 21, 2024, at Kesling Funeral Home in Mobridge. Burial was at the Timber Lake Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home.
Gordon passed away Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at the Bowdle Nursing Home.
Gordon Chalmers was born on July 27, 1932, in the Mobridge Railroad Hospital to Verling and Christina (Margaret) Caswell Chalmers. He grew up on the banks of the Grand River. Two years later his sister Irene arrived and later Mert and George. The family home was moved to Plum Creek in 1950.
Gordon attended grades 1-6 at the Chapel School. He lived with the Ed Chapel and Rudy Kempf families until winter set in, then he stayed with his mother and Irene at the school shack. Grades 7 and 8 were at the Miscol School which he rode to on horseback. Gordon graduated from Timber Lake High School in the Class of 1950. After high school, Gordon worked for local farmers and rodeoed, participating in wild cow riding. He also hunted and ran a trap line, something that his mother taught him.
On September 2, 1954, he was drafted into the Army. He was honorably discharged on December 12, 1956. He served in the Army Reserves until December 1, 1962, fulfilling his six years in the Army.
After retiring from the service, Gordon resumed working for local farmers and ranchers and ran cattle with his dad on the Grand River.
Gordon married Mary Richter on May 12, 1958. To this union two daughters were born, Cathy (1959) and Connie (1960). They ranched together in the North Country. Gordon continued to work for local farmers and ranchers and also worked for the local sale barns, the Timber Lake and McLaughlin Livestock. He worked for 30 years at McLaughlin.
Mary and Gordon moved to Lowry in 2000. They continued to ranch, moving the cows West River in the summer and returning them to Lowry in the fall.
Gordon’s health began to fail in October 2024, and he was hospitalized. He transferred to the Bowdle Nursing Home in November.
Gordon is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary of Lowry; daughters Cathy (Lee) Reinert of Lemmon and Connie (Stan) Goldade of Lowry; sister Irene Wishard of Fosston, MN; brother George Chalmers of Bullhead; sister-in-law, Shirley Chalmers of North Carolina; grandchildren Lori Goldade, Grant (Katie) Goldade, Zane Reinert, Carmen Reinert, and Kayla (Scott) Martinmaas; greatgrandchildren Kiya Neal, Tucker and Bohdi Reinert, Grady Goldade, Riley and Isaac Johnson, Tallyn Goldade, and Hattie and Harper Martinmaas; numerous nieces and nephews.
Preceding him in death are his parents, Verling and Margaret; inlaws, Herman and Hattie Richter; brother Mert; brothers and sistersin- law, Glen and May Torevell, Fred and Millie Richter, Ralph and Joanne Richter, Bud Wishard and Valerie Chalmers.
(Mary Chalmer’s address is 605 Harris Ave., Lowry, SD 57472.)