Keith L. Harner

Keith L. Harner, loving husband, father and grandfather died at Monument Hospice House in Rapid City, SD on October 6, 2023. He was 94.
Keith was born in Cold Springs, OK on September 22, 1929 to Joe Laurel Harner and Florence (White) Harner.
His family moved many times when he was a child, therefore he attended many different schools between the years of 1st and 12th grade. Those states included Oklahoma, Indiana, Texas and Arizona. After High School he attended Oklahoma Panhandle A & M College in Goodwell, OK. He worked various jobs on campus in order to put himself through college. He graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy. He later became a lifetime member of the Panhandle State Alumni Association.  
At the age of 23, Keith headed to White River, SD in a raging blizzard to teach agriculture to Veterans for one and a half years. From there, Keith worked as conservationist with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service for more than 16 years. He played an integral part in establishing many farmstead windbreaks and field shelterbelts. In 1969, he shifted gears and was named Manager of the West River Conservancy Sub-District-Water Conservation and Development. Then in 1974, he became Director of the Division of Water Management, SD Department of Natural Resources Development. From 1979 until his retirement on May 14, 1995, Keith was the Program Director for the SD Department of Agriculture Soil and Water Conservation. During this time, he worked directly with the states sixty-nine soil conservation districts in helping them develop their long-range plans. He truly loved and enjoyed his long career in conservation. 
In his early years of working for the SCS, he lived in the small towns of Kadoka, Martin and Wall. It was during his time in Martin when he met his wife, Meda Rae Millar. They were married April 8, 1955 in the Presbyterian Church in Martin, SD. From this union came four children, Stuart, Becky Jeannine and Leah. 
In 1962, while living in Kadoka, SD Keith and Meda Rae purchased the Shamrock Court Hotel. During the summers, Meda Rae ran the motel and Keith became a plumber, electrician, and all-around maintenance man. He was also a volunteer Firefighter for the Kadoka Fire Department, and combined alfalfa and other seed crops every summer at the Bradfield Ranch. It was during this time Keith was able to achieve his long-time goal of getting his private pilot’s license and purchasing his Aeronca Chief Airplane. Keith enjoyed flying from 1971 to 2000. 
After moving to Pierre in 1974, Keith enjoyed planting trees, gardening, restoring his plane, flying and occasionally fishing on the Missouri River. Keith, Meda Rae, and Leah resided in Pierre for 28 years. 
By the time Keith retired, he had 2 granddaughters who he loved to spend as much time with as possible. Their parents, Jim and Jeannine Bockwoldt had purchased a ranch northeast of Box Elder, S.D. He made a huge mark on the ranch as he helped them plant over 1,500 trees in a run-down shelter belt. He was also an invaluable ranch hand when it came time to working cattle, checking calves and driving the old 8N Ford Tractor during haying time.
In 2001, Keith, Meda Rae and Leah moved to Box Elder. They had an acre of land on which he planted over 100 trees. In 2020, the three of them moved to Rapid City, SD.
Keith was a member of the Mt. Mariah Masonic Lodge #155 for 66 years. For 54 years, he was a member of both the Royal Arch-Black Hills Council #3 of Cryptic Masons. He was also a member of Order of Eastern Star Evergreen Chapter #97. At the time of his passing, he was a member of the Valley Community Baptist Church in Rapid Valley. 
Keith was preceded in death by his parents; a baby sister Vinnie Oleta Harner; daughter Becky; sister JoAnn and her husband Kenney Long; brother Doyle; and his in-laws, Helen and Pat Millar.
Keith is survived by his wife of 68 years, Meda Rae; daughters Jeannine Harner and Leah Harner; dear friend Jerome Maes all of Rapid City. A son, Stuart Harner and his wife LeAnn of Mandan, North Dakota. Granddaughters’; Bethany (Bockwoldt) and her husband Kota Simonson; and Nicole Bockwoldt, all from Rapid City; brother Dan Harner and his wife Shirley of Edinburg, Texas.
A memorial service was held at the Valley Community Baptist Church, 5718 Longview Drive, Rapid City, SD, October 16, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.  A lunch followed the service.
A private interment will follow at a later date at the J2D Ranch cemetery north of St. Onge.
Memorials may be made to the family by sending checks directly to Kirk Funeral Home. Please indicate on your check if you would like your donation to be put towards the Shrine or a tree planted in Keith’s memory.