Melvin "Pete" Flones

SUMMIT- Melvin (Pete) Flones, 93 of Summit died on Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at Golden Living Center in Milbank. His funeral will be at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, June 22, 2013 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Waubay, Rev. Janet Miller officiating. Military interment will be at Lakewood Cemetery, Waubay. Visitation will be at the funeral home in Webster on Friday 5-7 P.M. with a 6:30 P.M. prayer service. Melvin “Pete” Flones was born on February 15, 1920 to Carl and Hannah (Klegseth) Flones on the Strobel farm in Egeland Township, Day County, South Dakota south of Waubay. He was the fifth of nine children. He was baptized in the Norwegian Church (Our Savior’s Lutheran) at Waubay and later confirmed by affirmation. The family moved to a farm in Grant County, Lura Township and then to a farm in Blooming Valley Township. He started country school in 1927 and went through the eighth grade. During and after attending country school he worked for area farmers. He was inducted into the U.S. Army at Ft. DesMoines, Iowa and then was on a troop ship and landed in Oran, North Africa and trained for the invasion of Sicily. He earned his first Purple Heart in Sicily and the second at Anzio. The Troop also earned the Presidential Citation, he also earned the Good Conduct Medal, Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, EAME Service Ribbon and Three Bronze Service Stars. He was honorably discharged on September 9, 1945 at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas and returned back to the area. During his school years he met Delores “Babe” Anderson. After Pete was discharge from the service the couple married on October 25, 1945 at Webster, South Dakota. They made their home and farmed southeast of Summit for thirty seven years. In 1983 they retired to Summit. Babe passed away in November 1999. The couple were married 54 years. In November 2011 he moved to Park Place assisted living in Milbank and then entered Golden Living Center in March 2012. Pete was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Waubay where he served on the church council and also was President. He also ushered there for many years. He was Treasurer for Lura Township for over thirty years, the Summit Town Board for sixteen years and held many other positions. Pete and Babe were also active in planning of the Summit Centennial in 1992. He also was a member of the Ortley V.F.W. and Waubay American Legion for over fifty years. Pete passed away on Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at Milbank, South Dakota at the age of 93 years, 4 months and 4 days. Survivors include two brothers, Bernard (Pauline) Flones of Ortley, SD and Harold (Audrey) Flones of Renton, WA; two sisters-in-law, Arvis Flones of Waubay, SD and Joann Flones of Elgin, IL; special friends, Rick and Diane Knutson of Summit, SD, Patty Frazee of Milbank, SD and Eddie Brennan of Hayti, SD; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, three brothers, three sisters, and a special friend, Cliff Frazee.