Donald Ray Lamp

Donald R. Lamp, age 78, Willow Lake, died at his home on Monday afternoon, June 22, 2009 after a lengthy illness. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 2PM in the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake with the Reverend Al Richardson officiating. Burial, with military honors by the Johnny Fonken American Legion Post #113 of Willow Lake, will follow in the Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 5-7 PM at the Furness Funeral Home Chapel in Clark and after noon at the Church on Thursday in Willow Lake. The organist will be Jody Symens. The soloist will be Marlys Sprang, accompanied by Janet Denman. She will sing "Amazing Grace" and "Beyond The Sunset". The congregation will sing "The Old Rugged Cross". The casketbearers will be Kent Morris, Jim Atkins, Bryce Collins, Cliff Bratland, Mike Korbel and Merlyn Whitted. Donald Ray Lamp was born on September 18, 1930, the son of Jesse and Goldie (Hall) Lamp at Doland, SD where he lived and attended school until joining the United States Army at the age of 18. He married Elaine Joyce Anderson in Willow Lake on November 10, 1953. They lived in San Diego, CA from 1957 to 1963. After returning to South Dakota, he worked for several years for Asphalt Paving out of Huron, SD before heading to Alaska to work on the Alaskan oil fields from 1975 until 1984. He and his wife owned and operated the D & E Cafe and the Lamp Lighter Lounge in Willow Lake and the Lamp Lighter II in Altamont. He retired in 1990 and always claimed he was the only one who could wake up in the morning with nothing to do and go to bed that night with it only half done. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, woodworking and telling jokes to anyone who would listen. Grateful for having shared in his life are his wife Elaine of Willow Lake; one daughter, Deborah (Donald) Lusk of Watertown; one son, Eugene (Connie) Lamp of Canton; one sister, Cora Stickler of Watertown; two brothers, Jesse (Agnes) Lamp of Watertown and Butch (Guadalupe) Lamp of Pasadena, TX; 10 grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews, many friends, and his faithful dog, Friday. Also grateful were those who preceded him in death; his son, Kenneth; his parents; three brothers, Chuck, Warren and Cecil; and one sister, Lorraine. email condolences and sign an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com