Gene DeVries, age 87, of Cavour, passed away on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at PrairieView Care Center in Woonsocket.

His funeral service will be at 10:30 AM on Saturday, December 18, 2021 at Welter Funeral Home in Huron with burial at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Visitation, with his family present, will be from 4-6 PM on Friday, December 17, 2021 at Welter Funeral Home.

Gene DeVries was born Norval Gene DeVries to Henry and Grace (Gaughran) DeVries on September 6, 1934 in Huron, SD, as a child his family lived south of the Cavour area near Pearl Creek, later moving to the place where Gene lived and farmed with his dad. Gene graduated from Huron High School.

On October 5, 1957, he married Dorace Krutzfeldt and they made their home on the farm next to his parents where they resided all their lives. Gene served on several boards and was a member of the following NFO, SD Wheat Growers, Elks and Custer Township Board.

Gene's interests were farming, cattle, and his grandkids. He loved to talk even if no one was listening and loved to visit with just about anybody. One of his favorite pastimes was checking cattle in the pastures with the grand puppies. He also loved a good auction whether it was cattle or a farm auction.

He is survived by daughters, Vicki Vining (Robert Peterson) of Fedora, SD and their children, Dustin Vining of Buffalo, SD Hillary (Jeff Westendorf) Vining of Mt. Vernon, SD and Hanna Peterson of Fedora; Nikki Baatz of Lester, IA and her children Josh (Tammy) Waddell of Larchwood, IA, and LaToya (Jared) Ageson of Alvord, IA; son Jeff (Kimberly) DeVries of Cavour and their children, Ellie of Cavour, Elise of Huron, Ethan of Cavour, Emerson of Brookings, Elaina of Aberdeen, Elliott of Cavour, and Erianna DeVries of Cavour; daughter Tanya (Jeneva Maneval) DeVries of Huron; and grandpuppies, Chase and Bo; great-grandchildren, Aspen and Slade Vining, Karter and Kobe Westendorf, Levi, Wyatt, and Dakota Waddell, Brodix and Hadley Ageson, and Ashlee DeVries;  his brother, Hubert (Eloise) DeVries, and his sisters, Sharon (Bill) Carter and Janice Marone; sisters-in-law, Betty Krutzfeldt and Dorene Eckmann.

He was preceded in death by his wife Dorace DeVries in 2014; daughters Michelle DeVries and infant Melissa DeVries; sons-in-law, Keith Vining and Robert Baatz; brothers-in-law, Ernie Marone, Ervin Krutzfeldt and Kenneth Eckmann.

Gene passed away at the Prairie View Health Care Center in Woonsocket on December 8, 2021 at the age of 87 from cancer.