James Lawrence Dunlavy

Mr. James Lawrence Dunlavy, age 89 of Watertown formerly of Castlewood, died early this morning, December 14, 2006 in the Prairie Lakes Care Center at Watertown. Funeral services will be held on Monday, Decmber 18, 2006 at 2PM in the First Presbyterian Church at Raymond with Pastor Donna Nickels officiating. Burial will follow in the Prairie Valley Cemetery at Raymond. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 2-4 PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and 1 hour preceding services at the Church on Monday. Honorary Casketbearers are all other grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the Staff of Prairie Lakes Care Center and all friends and relatives. Active Casketbearers will be Dawn Zinda, Lance Wasland, Jill Ragels, Scot Dunlavy, Veronica Dunlavy, Garth Dunlavy, Dustin Lewis, Chad McDonald, Tami Johnson & Carey Ragels. Music will be presented by Marvine Obermeier and Wendy Christman and David and Carol Finstad. He was born at Bloomfield, IA on June 11, 1917, the son of James Howard and Clara (Acton) Dunlavy. In 1919 James and Clara along with their four children, Helen, Opal, Wilbur and Lawrence moved to Logan Township in Clark County, south of Raymond. One more child, Olive, was born in that year. Lawrence graduated from Ash Consolidated School in 1935. He then moved to Minnesota and began working for family on a farm. On December 16, 1940 he was united in marriage to Veronica Nolan at New Richland, MN. They moved to Clark shortly after their marriage and lived on a couple of different farms before moving to a farm in Spring Valley Township on the south side of Mallard Slough in January of 1948. They raised cattle, sheep, turkeys and milked cows. In 1954 he attended the Reisch Auction College in Mason City, IA. In 1962 they moved to a farm north of Clark. He and a business partner, Russell Neal, operated the Clark Livestock Pavilion for several years. Over the years he also worked many private auctions and also worked at the South Dakota Livestock North Sale Barn for many years. After his work at the sale barn he worked for 15 years at the Chickasha Mobile Homes Mfg. plant in Watertown. He auctioneered until he was nearly 80. The couple moved to Castlewood in the early 1980s. He was baptized in the First Presbyterian Church at Raymond. Besides his love for his family, he will long be remembered for his love of auctioneering, horses, good livestock and country music. Survivors include 12 children, Jane Zinda and husband Dennis of Big Lake, MN, Catherine Ragels of Mitchell, Betty Wasland and husband LeRoy of Watertown, Darrel Dunlavy and wife Pam of Frenchtown, MT, Carol Peterson and husband David of Buffalo, MN, Helen Ragels and husband Norman of Castlewood, Thomas Dunlavy and wife Merlene of Claremont, Robert Dunlavy and wife Peggy of Watertown, Bonnie McDonald and husband Fred of Missoula, MT, Leo Dunlavy and wife Denise of Andover, Jan Dunlavy and wife Sandy of Belle Plaine, KS and Kim Lewis and husband Ken of Gresham, OR; 25 grandchildren, 8 step-grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, 6 step great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. A sister-in-law, Loreta Dunlavy of Conde also survives. Preceding him in death were his parents, his wife of 61 years Veronica, a son Dale Dunlavy, a brother, Wilbur Dunlavy, sisters, Helen Potter, Opal Potter and Olive VanSickle and a son-in-law,LaVoy Ragels. Services are announced by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark. On-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com