Lester "Les" Karas

On the evening of February 18th, 2016, Les passed away at the VA Medical Center in Fort Meade, SD as a result of a stroke caused by Les' battle with cancer. Les was 88 years old.

Les was born on December 20, 1927 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He was the third child of Frank and Mayme Karas. After being born, he was taken to his family farm in near Crete, ND. Around 1933, Les and his family moved south of the border to a farm near Hecla, SD. In 1937, Les' family moved a short 15 miles south to Columbia, SD where Les was given his first horse, Dynamite. Les and Dynamite were inseparable companions and the subject of numerous stories.

On December 20, 1945, Les turned 18 and joined the United States Army on January 5th, 1946. Les had his basic training at Fort McClellan, AL then later shipped to Fort Carson, CO and joined the Army's Company K (and later Company C). The last six months Les spent in the Army was in the Army Hospital with stomach problems, which followed him throughout the rest of his life.

After returning from the Army, Les became Faulk County Deputy Sheriff. Les soon found Shirley Strevel, they began dating, fell in love and soon Les and Shirley were married. To increase his pay, Les changed jobs and became the City of Faulkton Chief of Police. Later there was an opening for Faulk County Sheriff, Les' name was accepted and he became the youngest Sheriff in the United States at that time.

As Sheriff, Les had his experiences upholding the law, but he would admit that forming a "Kid's Klink", a juvenile recreation center, was his fondest accomplishment. Les also learned to fly airplanes during this time.

Trying to provide for his family, Les ended up owning and operating a café in Faulkton which he ran for two years. The family then moved to the Black Hills. Shirley went to Black Hills State to get her teaching degree, and Les worked on the Minute Man missile sites as a carpenter. After the missile base work finished, Les accepted the position of Chief of Police in Deadwood, SD.

Les built a handmade stage coach, and in the summer of 1964, and led a group consisting of his father and several friends to drive that stagecoach from Denver, CO to Deadwood, SD in commemoration of South Dakota's 75th Statehood anniversary. The stage coach carried 10,000 silver dollars. This trip was celebrated throughout the route and made for many interesting and humorous stories.

Les spent time in college receiving two degrees. Les took on a job with the Na-tional Forest Service Job Corps Program where he worked for 16 years. Les was able to raise his family during this time and spend as much time with them as possible.

After retiring from Job Corps, Les took up numerous activates in Deadwood, including Deadwood Toastmasters, a traffic guard near the Lead-Deadwood Elementary school, various church duties, and handing out candy to the casino workers (with the nickname "The Candy Man".) Les also solicited contributions for the local Disabled Veterans Administration during every Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Les loved live music, and produced and directed an annual variety show at the Historic Homestake Opera House in Lead, and an annual Christmas music event at Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort.

Les is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Mayme Karas, his brother, Harvey and his sister, Shirley. Les leaves behind his wife, Shirley Karas; daughter, Debra Seaman; sons, Frank "Donald" (Lynette) Karas, David (Patty) Karas and Darrell Karas; sister, Gladys Hempler, of Minot, ND; eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 at the Lead Opera House with visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis. Contributions can be sent to the Disabled Veterans Administration (DAV) in Sturgis in the name of Les Karas.

Arrangements are under the care of the Lead-Deadwood Memorial Chapel in Lead.