Roger Pownell, age 85, of Huron, passed away on Wednesday, August 14, 2024 at his home in Huron, surrounded by his family, under hospice care.

His funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Friday, August 23, 2024 at Huron Faith Alive Church, with burial at Riverside Cemetery. Military honors will be conducted by the Huron Veteran's Council. Visitation, with family present, will be from 9-11 a.m., on Friday morning at the church.

View Roger's Memorial Folder

Roger Dean Pownell was born on May 7, 1939 in Broadland, South Dakota to parents Harold and Doris (Skarin) Pownell. He attended Huron schools, graduating in 1957.  At age 20, he joined the US Army and was in the 7th Army Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany at the height of the Berlin wall crisis.  After being honorably discharged he returned home to Huron to be with family, enrolled at Huron College and fell in love with Reva, another student at the time.  Months later they ran away and eloped at a Methodist church in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. He and Reva were inseparable in their 61 years together in a marriage that valued love and faith and trust, and to that union two boys were added to their family.

Roger's family history was important to him.  While job opportunities took the family as far away as Amarillo Texas, he'd bring the family back home to Huron eventually.  Roger enjoyed working as an accountant, even working part-time doing income taxes into his early 80's.

Nobody was a stranger to Roger.  And it made no difference where you met him, the bank, the grocery store, the office, the ice cream shop. He'd greet you with a smile, draw you into a conversation, he'd take interest in your life, and then depart with either encouraging words, a lesson, a compliment, or a simple thank you.

Roger was a giver and not a taker, and he enjoyed volunteering.  For 14 years, he helped at the Salvation Army food pantry.  He also sat on the Advisory Board of Dakotaland Federal Credit Union.  Roger was a faithful member of Faith Alive Global Methodist Church.  Mostly, his enjoyment came from sharing a simple conversation or a chocolate ice cream sundae.  He loved that the family ice cream shop downtown allowed him a venue to give back to the community.

He is survived by his wife, Reva of Huron; his sons, Jeff and Yendy Pownell of Huron and Terry and Marci Pownell of Amarillo, Texas; four grandchildren, Cody and Haylie Pownell of Borger, TX, Zach Pownell of San Diego, CA, Cayden Pownell of Amarillo, TX, and Jacqueline and Ryan Vargas of Reno, NV; and two great-grandchildren, Rowyn Pownell of Borger, TX and Lewin Vargas of Reno, NV; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Doris; brother, Duane Pownell; brother-in-law Kenneth Bloodgood; sister-in-law, Murle Bloodgood; parents-in-law, Charles and Ina Belle Bloodgood.