Vern McKee, age 74, formerly of 828 Illinois Ave. SW, Huron, died Friday, December 10, 2004 at the Sioux Valley Hospital at Sioux Falls. His funeral Mass will be at 11:00 AM Wednesday, December 15th at Holy Trinity Catholic Church with Father Donald Imming officiating. Burial will be at St. Martin's Cemetery with Military Rites by the Huron Veterans Council. Friends may call Tuesday afternoon and evening at the Welter Funeral Home or prior to the Mass at the church Wednesday morning. There will be a Scripture Service at 7:00 PM Tuesday evening at the funeral home. Vern Albert McKee was born in Browns Valley, MN, on April 28, 1930 but primarily raised in Huron, SD, he was an only child. His parents were Lewis "Bud" and Bernita (Deyo) McKee. Vern attended Huron Junior High School and Huron High School until the 11th grade. He returned to Browns Valley, MN because of his father's business and finished his senior year of high school graduating in 1948. His official sports career started at Huron Junior High, and continued into high school at Huron High and Browns Valley. For the Minnesota school he was an All-Conference basketball player and baseball standout. From there he went on to serve four-years in the U.S. Navy. At the Anacostia Naval Air Station he won a MVP award in basketball and was named to an All Navy team. When he finished his navy tour, the St. Louis Browns and Chicago White Sox immediately recognized Vern's talents. Each organization offered him contracts and he also played for Independence, KS; Fort Smith, AR; and Topeka, KS. He then started to work on his degree at Huron College and it was on September 1, 1954, that Vern married Beverly Jean Bischoff in Huron. During this time Vern was offered a contract with the San Francisco 49ers but in the end he and Bev decided to stay in South Dakota and start a family. Vern was selected on the All South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference team for four years and was also cited as the Most Valuable Player for two years. For five years he played for the Huron Jims in the South Dakota Basin League. Three of those years he was chosen as an All-Star. The first baseman once set an all-time League hitting record in a single game when he hit three home runs and two doubles, scoring nine players. When the Basin League converted to all-college, Vern managed the Mobridge Lakers for two years, and later served as League president for two years. From the vast mixture of athletic experience and stardom, Vern became only the fifth athlete to be selected into the state's Intercollegiate Hall of Fame. Then last April he was admitted into the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame and in October of 2004 into the South Dakota Hall of Fame. Vern is unique in that he knew from the time he was very young he wanted to spend his life helping young people achieve. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree at Huron College and a Master's Degree at the University of South Dakota. He then went on to become certified as a principal and superintendent. Except for a time when he coached baseball and football at North Dakota State University in Fargo, Vern spent the majority of his athletic vocational career teaching and coaching in South Dakota public schools and colleges. His public school experience in the state included the following districts: Ipswich - taught high school history classeshead football, basketball and track coachtwo football conference champions. Huron - taught government...high school football coachcoached an undefeated ESD football championship team in 1969-70 and was named Sportswriters Coach of the Year in 1970. Wolsey - Elementary and Secondary Principal. Harrold - Elementary teacher and Superintendent. Hoven - Elementary Principal and Superintendent. Veblin - Superintendent. Balatin Minnesota - Superintendent. Yankton College - taught world historyhead football and baseball coachin three years helped to build a strong football programcoached two Tri-State Conference baseball championship teams. University of South Dakota - taught HPER classesbaseball coach and assistant football. Huron University - chairman of HPERDirector of Athletics and head football coach. In addition to his educational involvements, Vern was Executive Vice-President and chief spokesman for the South Dakota Association of Commerce and Industry for seven and half years when his family was living in Pierre. Another seven and half years he was owner and general manager of KSDR radio station in Watertown. He spent two years as a seasonal scout for the Chicago White Sox. Then the Minnesota Twins hired him as a scout and minor league instructor for four years. Vern officiated South Dakota basketball games for 28 years. He worked 16 years in the SDIC and 12 years in the North Central Conference. Five different years he was selected as one of the officials in the State A finals. More than anyone else, Vern honors his wife, Beverly for her love and friendship through the years. "My various work responsibilities took me away from home many times. Through it all she never complained. I owe her everything for raising our children and keeping our home going." Vern and his kids and grandkids suffered the loss of Beverly on November 24th of 2002. The McKee's are survived by 5 children, Susan (Brian) Mielke, Sioux Falls, Diane (Buck) Akin, Redfield, William (Jennifer) McKee, Sioux Falls, Thomas McKee, Sioux Falls, Carol McKee, Minneapolis; six grandchildren, Ryan (Laura) McKee, Shelby Akin, Wyatt McKee, Erin McKee, Beverly McKee, and Mason McKee, Sioux Falls; 1 sister-in-law, Carol (Dr. Bill) Tierney, Tucson, AZ; one aunt and uncle Wally (Artis) McKee, Rosolt and many cousins, including a special cousin he thought of as a brother, Norm (Vera) Deyo, Aberdeen. He was preceded in death by his wife Bev and his parents. Please send all cards and letters to the McKee's at 4600 West 38th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57106. Vern will be remembered as a fine teacher, coach, administrator and outstanding athlete. He was highly respected not only for his work ethics, but also for his character and his personality. Vern and Bev made many friends throughout their travels and everyone who knew them knew how much they loved to laugh. But in spite of all Vern's accomplishments in his professional life, and there were many, we as his children and grandchildren will most remember our dad and grandpa as someone who was always there for us, loved us unconditionally, someone to lean on for anything, and in spite of his busy life, he stayed involved in our lives. He always told us how much he loved us, would do anything for us, and for those reasons alone, he will always be our hero. Rest in Peace Mom and Dad, you were both the BEST