Ernest J. Nemec was born November 30, 1909, on a farm in Yankton, County, near Utica, South Dakota, to Joseph and Rose (Mach) Nemec.

As a child he moved with his family to a farm in Stanley County, northeast of Midland, South Dakota.

He grew up on the farm and received his education at the Milton Rural School in that area.  As a young man he worked on the family farm.

Ernest was united in marriage to Bessie R. Sheeley on January 5, 1935, at Midland.

They made their home on a farm 13 miles north of Midland for two years prior to moving to their present farm-ranch eight miles north of Midland.  He raised Hereford cattle for 42 years before retiring in 1984.  Ernest and Bessie have continued to reside on the farm-ranch.

Ernest served many years on the board of the Saddle Butte School District.  He was active in the South Dakota Hereford Association and in 1978 was honored by the association.

Ernest was a member of St. William Catholic Church and spent many hours helping with the construction of the present church in the late 1950s.

He was an avid sports fan of the Midland Vikings and rarely missed listening to a Minnesota Twins baseball game.  In his early years he played baseball most every Sunday afternoon for the Bunker ball team.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Bessie R. Nemec of Midland; three sons, Ernest D. Nemec and his wife, Laurel, of Midland, Thomas Nemec and his wife, LaDene, of Midland, and John Nemec of Midland; three daughters, Teresa McLaughlin of Farmington, Minnesota, Sally Ehlers and her husband, Don, of Midland, and Judy Fosheim and her husband, John, of Midland; 26 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; one sister, Ellen Tolton of Pierre; several nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Ernest was preceded in death by two great-grandsons, Dylan Ehlers and Jonathan Fosheim; a great-granddaughter, Cassidy Cook; his parents; four brothers, Charles, Emil, Jerome and Edward Nemec.

A memorial is established.

Mass of Christian Burial
Monday, September 30, 1996
10:00 a.m.
St. William Catholic Church
Midland, South Dakota

Celebrant
Father Arnold Kari

Altar Servers
Kevin & Kory Petoske

Readers
Audrey Jones - Holly Nemec - Cheryl Hook

Music
Glenda Nemec - Organist
Bob Sheeley - Organist
Barb Jones & Jill Eckert - Vocalists

Ushers
LeRoy McLaughlin - Kevin McLaughlin
Rick Nemec - Patrick Fosheim

Active Pallbearers (Grandsons)
Raymond Dean McLaughlin - Larry McLaughlin
Randy Nemec - Terry Nemec
Donnie Ehlers - Jared Fosheim

Honorary Pallbearers
All relatives and friends in attendance

Interment
Midland Cemetery
Midland, South Dakota