• The funeral for Gary Raap, 51, of Pierpont will be 2 p.m., Monday, February 17 at Paetznick-Garness Funeral Chapel, Groton.  The Rev. Matt Richards will officiate.  Burial will take place at a later date in the Homer Cemetery, Pierpont.
• Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to the time of services on Monday. 
• Gary died February 11, 2014 near Pierpont. 
• Gary Raap was born on October 15, 1962 in Sioux Falls to Marvin and Ruth (Dokter) Raap.  He attended grade school in Pierpont and graduated from Langford High School.  Gary continued his education at North

ern State, earning an Associates Degree.  He worked for Control Data and later moved to Colorado, where he returned to college.   Gary obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration  and graduated with honors.  He returned to South Dakota in 1993 and attended Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, for IT Tech again with honors.  Gary was working as Chemical Plant Supervisor for Wheat Growers at the time of his death.   
• In earlier years, Gary was involved with 4-H.  He had a love for animals, especially his cats.  Gary was a lifetime member of the Harley Owner's Group and enjoyed taking long trips on his bike.  He was active as a volunteer firefighter in Pierpont and liked to hunt. 
• Celebrating his life are his siblings, Douglas (Jasmin) Raap of Oberusel, Germany; Lori (Carl) Klaudt of Sioux Falls and his nieces and nephew: Andrew, Autumn and Emily. 
• Preceding him in death were his parents and his biological brother, John Severson. 
• Casketbearers will be Tom Woods, John Raap, Chuck Lemmon, Ethan Lemmon, Terry Hardy and Kevin Holler.
•  Memorials may be directed to Pierpont Fire Department, 201 West Main Street, Pierpont, SD 57468