Lawrence "Larry" F. Jeffries (76), of Spearfish, SD, passed away from natural causes on April 6, 2020, at his home. He was born in Deadwood, SD, the only child of the late Helen and Lawrence H. Jeffries, who operated The Jeffries' Cleaners drycleaning business. Larry was a competitive skier in his youth, excelling at both cross-country and downhill. One year he placed 16 ^th in the Junior National Olympics slalom event. He was a member of the Terry Peak Ski Team, SD, and the as well as the Eskimo Ski Team in Colorado. The summer after high school graduation in 1962, he had the unique opportunity to train in Argentina, and riding gondolas for the first time. He then attended the University of Wyoming on a full-ride athletic scholarship for skiing and soccer, and majored in accounting. In 1964, his ski team placed 3 ^rd in the NCAA championships in Hanover, NH. After receiving his Bachelor's Degree in 1967, Larry completed a 10-week course at the National Institute of Drycleaning in Silver Spring, MD, receiving the highest score of the 139 ^th graduating class.  They offered him a scholarship to return to another course but he declined as he then joined his mother in the family business, along with his wife, Carolee Horstman, whom he married in 1965. With that union, they had three children, Carl, Jennie, and Kent. Following a 1986 divorce, he then married Judy Kelley, who passed away in 2013.

While in business, Larry was active in numerous civic organizations: President of the Deadwood Jaycees, President of the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce, Days of '76 Board Member; Tomahawk Country Club Men's Group; volunteer member of the Deadwood Fire Department; ski instructor for Deer Mt. Ski School and Terry Peak Ski Club. In 1974, the SD Legislature passed an ordinance to establish a Lead-Deadwood Sanitary District. Larry was elected as part-time manager. The purpose of the entity was to clean-up the pollution of Whitewood Creek. Larry was very involved with Grizzly Gulch, the large tailings dam.

Homestake Mining Company in Lead, SD, hired Larry as Environmental Director & Assistant Director of Public Affairs in 1975, later becoming the Employee Relations Director, and eventually the Human Resources Director. In May 1975, Larry closed the 29-year old family drycleaning business. From 1989-1992, Larry served on a committee with the Lookout Memorial Hospital. After his 19-year career with Homestake, he was employed as HR/Safety Director for Sunshine Mining (Silver) in Kellogg, ID; Labor Relations Supt. of General Chemical (Soda Ash), Green River, WY; and HR Manager of Jacobs Ranch (Coal) Mine, Gillette, WY.

In 2009 finishing his mining career, Larry retired to Spearfish with Judy. In 2010, he wanted to stay busy and became a Census Taker. From 2009-2019, he volunteered for SHINE, a government program to assist the elderly with navigating Medicare Part D, putting in thousands of hours. He received the SHINE Volunteer of the Year a couple of times. It became a mission for him to help save people money on their medication plans, and was thrilled when he could. In these later years, he became very active with the Spearfish Senior Center and he served on the Nutrition Board.

From the time he was a young boy, he also enjoyed hunting, fishing, and later boating and camping. Larry enjoyed attending his children and grandchildren's activities. He and Judy had numerous dogs over the years and doted on all of them.

He is survived by his children, Carl (Kamme), Worland, WY; Jennie Anderson, Custer; Kent (Rae Ann) Jeffries, Gillette; and stepchildren Ross Bancroft and Lisa Schmuck both of Spearfish; grandchildren include: Hadley, Dalton, and Clint Jeffries, Worland; Luke and Lizzie Anderson, Custer; Jessi, Taylor, and Trevor Jeffries, Gillette; Chandler and Hunter Schmuck, Spearfish.

Due to the pandemic, there will be a celebration of life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, suggested memorials to either the Black Hills Ski Team or the Spearfish Senior Center, mailed in care of Fidler-Isburg Funeral Home, PO Box 487, Spearfish, SD 57783-0487.

Arrangements are under the care of the Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapels and Isburg Crematory of Spearfish. Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com