Steve "Beano" LaFleur, 56, finally found peace with his Lord Saturday, May 3, 2008, after a nearly four-year battle with anoxic brain injury.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Jefferson, S.D., with the Rev. David Roehrich officiating. Visitation with the family will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Christy-Smith Larkin Northside Chapel.
The avid outdoorsman was born Sept. 25, 1951, to Ray and Pat LaFleur. He was raised in Jefferson, S.D. as one of the eight LaFleur boys (and one LaFleur girl) and remained a proud Blackhawk throughout his life. He graduated from Jefferson High School in 1969 and the University of South Dakota in 1973.
He met Sherry Farrer, the true love of his life, in Jefferson in 1971 and married her on Feb. 24, 1979. Together the Irishman and Polish gal raised five children and fulfilled a lifelong dream by purchasing a small saloon on Dec. 1, 1986. Beano and Sherry's Casinos is still going strong 22 years later. Beano had always been active in the bar and restaurant industry, serving as an executive director of the South Dakota Retailer Dealers Association. He and Sherry were also named South Dakota "Retailer of the Year" in 1999.
When he wasn't working at Beano and Sherry's Casinos or spending time with his five children and six grandchildren, he insisted on spending every spare moment outdoors, hunting for the 30 point buck (or a few pheasants) fishing for the one that got away or toiling the farmland at Boji Lodge in Kimball, S.D. He was also active in outdoor organizations including Pheasants Forever and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. He was a lifelong member of St. Peter's parish and served as the first president of the Jefferson Jaycees.
Survivors include his wife and soul mate, Sherry; a daughter, Stephanie and Bobby Thompson of Sioux City; a daughter, Sabrina and Roger Sayler of Jefferson, S.D.; a daughter, Kimberly and Jon Luken of North Sioux City; a son, Justin "Joe" LaFleur of Dakota Dunes; a daughter, Trinette LaFleur of Pittsburgh, Pa.; his father, Ray LaFleur of Jefferson; a brother, Roche LaFleur of Los Angeles, Calif.; a sister-in-law, Debra (LaFleur) Hellman of Burt, Iowa; a sister, Brenda and Chuck Koerner of Mound, Minn.; a brother, Mark LaFleur of Sioux Falls, S.D.; a brother, Vincent LaFleur and his special friend, Helen Moss of North Sioux City; a brother, Barry and Terese LaFleur of Rapid City, S.D.; a brother, Ted and Dee Dee LaFleur of Madison, S.D.; a brother, Dean LaFleur of Shakopee, Minn.; his mother and father-in-law, Vince and Marilyn Farrer of Sioux City; a sister-in-law, Deb and Bill Hoffman of South Sioux City; and a brother-in-law, Steve and Camra Farrer of Hinton, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Pat LaFleur; a brother and best friend, Dennis (Debra) LaFleur; and a sister-in-law, Katherine (Mark) LaFleur.
Pallbearers will be Glenn Bosse, Kelly Curran, Joe "Mac" McGuire, Mike Hanson, Pat "Murph" Connors, Brad Beavers, Dick Connors and Randy Christiansen.
Memorials may be sent to the St. Peter's Building Fund or a charity of your choice.