Duane Lawless

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Obituary

Duane “Pat” Lawless, 92, of Mitchell, SD, passed away on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at Firesteel Healthcare Center in Mitchell. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 AM on Thursday, September 19, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Mitchell with visitation one hour prior. Burial will be at St. William’s Catholic Cemetery in Ramona, SD at a later date. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Duane James Lawless was born in Madison, SD on May 3, 1932, to James and Leona (Kistenmacher) Lawless. He attended his first and second grades at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Madison, SD, third through eighth grade at Kramer Country School, and then graduated from General Beadle in 1950. He continued schooling with a six week ag course at South Dakota State University, a two year electronic course through NRI, and also one year at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, SD for electronics.

Pat married Clara Kontz on May 12, 1956, at the St. Williams Catholic Church in Ramona, SD. He worked at Farmers Co-op Creamery in Madison, SD until he entered Lake Area Vo-tech in Watertown. After graduating, Pat and Clara moved to Huron, SD on December 26, 1966, where they both worked at the Music Center, Pat in the electronics and small appliance repair and Clara in the bookkeeping. In June of 1976, they moved to Mitchell, SD, where Duane and Clara opened their own business under the name of Lawless Electronics on November 3, 1983, and was still in business until Pat’s passing.

Duane was a proud member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, James Valley Sr. Center, former bowler with Sears in Huron, Moose Lodge, Meals on Wheels, and Civil Air Patrol Unit in Madison, SD.

Duane is survived by his wife Clara; daughter, Janel Lawless of Mitchell; and sister, Roxie Schick of Pagosa Springs, CO. He is also survived by his two beloved kitties, Echo and Misty

He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and a twin brother, Mike. 

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