John Radcliffe, age 86, of Huron, formerly of rural Wessington, died Tuesday, May 18, 2010, at Violet Tschetter Memorial Home.

His funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, May 21, at First Presbyterian Church in Wessington with burial at the Wessington Cemetery.

Visitation will be Thursday from 1-8 p.m. at Welter Funeral Home with family present from 6-8 p.m. and a Prayer Service at 7:30 p.m.; or Friday morning one hour prior to the service.

John Robert Radcliffe, son of Ward Irving and Cora Myrtle (Hutchinson) Radcliffe, was born on September 19, 1923, on the Radcliffe homestead in Sand Creek Township, Beadle County, South Dakota. The farm was homesteaded by Johns grandfather, Amos Radcliffe, in 1884.

In 1926, the family moved to California, where they resided for 20 years. John attended Elizabeth Lake Elementary School and graduated from Antelope Valley Joint Union High School in Lancaster, CA. He then attended Junior College in Lancaster for 2 years.

In 1944, while John was undergoing his military physical to join the Army during World War II, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and spent nine months in the Barlow Sanatorium near Los Angeles. He later farmed with his father, and worked for a local poultry producer for a couple of years.

In 1947, he moved back to South Dakota to farm with his father on the homestead. Throughout his working life, his two joys were farming and mechanics. He belonged to several organizations in Beadle County, including the Farm Bureau, and was Sand Creek Township Clerk for many years. He was also a member and an Elder of First Presbyterian Church in Wessington.

On January 11, 1996, John married Heather Werner in Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia. They enjoyed travelling, and spending their winters in Australia and their summers in South Dakota until Johns ill-health prevented further travel.

John became a resident of Violet Tschetter Memorial Home in 2004.

He is survived by his wife, Heather of Wessington; 1 step-son, James (Joy) Werner of Tucson, AZ; 1 step-grandson, Russell Werner of Tucson, AZ; 2 sisters, Mary Haley of Sioux Falls, and Rose Ann (Robert) Duxbury of Wessington; 1 niece, Kathryn (Dennis) Meyer of Huron; 4 nephews, Neil (Brenda) Duxbury of Wessington, Dale (Sandra) Duxbury of Wessington, Dean Duxbury of Wessington, and Brian (Tabatha) Duxbury of Miller; 6 great-nieces; 8 great-nephews; 1 great-great-niece; and 2 great-great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and 1 brother-in-law, William Haley.