Robert McKillop

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Obituary

Robert McKillop, 72, of Artesian, SD, died Thursday, February 3, 2022, at Huron Regional Medical Center in Huron. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Wednesday, February 9, at Bittner Funeral Chapel. Burial will be at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Artesian. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Tuesday, at Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Robert Donald McKillop was born June 5, 1949 at Mercy Hospital in San Diego, California to Donald Ira and Jessie Eleanor (Walker) McKillop. He was raised in La Mesa, California and attended Helix high School, graduating in 1967.

In his youth, he worked in an Italian restaurant, a gas station, and did some construction. This California boy's road to being a country boy in Artesian started when the family would come to South Dakota in the summer to help on the family farm. In 1968, he left college and "fruit and nut land" of California to come to South Dakota to work on the farm full-time. 

After a pre-marriage celebration at the Artesian street dance, Robert flew to Las Vegas with Holly Salem where they were united in marriage on July 4, 1982. Robert became the proud father of Donald, LeAnne, and Karrie, and over the years became "the best grandpa ever" to his six grandchildren.

The farm was primarily a cow-calf operation of Angus cattle, with a few excursions to other breeds during the years. There was also a stint in feeder pigs and helping Malcolm with some sheep, which was short-lived. Although he cut back after his health problems started, he still enjoyed checking out fields while driving and listening to WNAX for grain prices. The best part of farming seemed to be the down times when he could make the rounds to the Forestburg Farmers Elevator, the Country Pumper, and S&S Paint Repair and Salvage to catch up on the local "history".

In high school he played handball, but switched to slow-pitch softball once in South Dakota. Battling back through the losers’ bracket in a state slow-pitch tournament and making an amazing catch were just a few of the play-by-play stories that accumulated over the years. He enjoyed reading and read the entire encyclopedia while he recovered from back surgery. History was his favorite, especially anything about WWII, although he would pretty much read anything non-fiction. Since he was not the only history buff in Artesian, you often could hear a friendly wager in the Longbranch bar on who had the facts right.

Card games at the Longbranch were a favorite pastime and source of friendships and many stories.  It didn't matter what game, but the best ones were euchre and pinochle, and you could always expect a few side bets as well. Robert was not above going to Vegas on occasion to shoot craps or play pai gow and occasionally blackjack. In his later years, as the old card players gradually faded, he would hit the casinos and local poker tournaments making new friends along the way.

Robert enjoyed hunting season. He “inherited” the Van Tuyl group of pheasant hunters from his Aunt Catherine, and opening weekend was his favorite time of year. Releasing the birds and the comradery of the hunt were special to him, and only made better when he got our first hunting lab, Tank, who "was amazing". Memories were also created on west river antelope hunts, and one elk hunt where Robert could be found guarding the campsite with a book while everyone else climbed the mountain.

Over the years, Robert hired a lot of people to help him on the farm who became friends for life. He prided himself on being a good friend to people and was always willing to help others, and especially appreciated the opportunity to swap stories.

Robert is survived by his wife Holly, Artesian; son, Donald, Artesian; daughters: LeAnne (Chris) Grassel, Sioux Falls, and Karrie (Brett) Stekl, Letcher; grandchildren: Griffin Grassel, Brynlee Grassel, Beckett Grassel, Cooper Grassel, Hallie Stekl, and Ethan Stekl; brother, Malcolm (Sally), Sioux Falls; sister, Laurie (Mitch) Hilles, San Diego, California; and special cat, Smokey.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Robert's name to the Sanborn Central School Library, Forestburg, SD.

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