Menu
Rex L. Burghduff
CAMP CROOK - Rex L. Burghduff, 76, Camp Crook, passed away Friday, April 8, 2011, at St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck, N.D.
Rex wrote his own obituary as follows: I was born Oct. 26, 1934, at Camp Crook to Edith Mae (Turbiville) and Kenneth Lee Burghduff during the dry depressed years of the Dirty Thirties. We saw a lot of hard up years living in sheep wagons, herding sheep, driving horses, and moving from place to place with my parents, myself, my sister, Alice, two years younger, and my brother, Kenny, four years younger.
Then came the '40s, World War II, more tough and sad times. But the drought broke and we had grass and hay for the livestock.
Us kids started school so my parents settled down on the homestead my granddad had since around 1910 so we could go to country school. I went to the first grade in Camp Crook, the following seven years to Tarter School, much of the time only us three kids going there. I had the same teacher for my last six years of school, Caroline (Peterson) Heggem, a wonderful teacher and dear friend.
In 1947, we had another brother born, but he passed away when only a few hours old. Then in 1949, Gerald, my youngest brother was born, and in 1954 my youngest sister, Rhoda Mae, was born.
I never started to high school the year I got out of the eighth grade. Wanted to stay home and help my dad. This happened to be the winter of '49. It was one of the worst this country has ever seen. We pitched hay and shoveled snow all winter, and drove four head of horses on the sled and fed sheep and cattle – a terrible winter.
The next year some kids talked me into going to high school. I was bashful at that time and the third week my teacher, Jane Bennett, told me on the following Monday I had to get up in front of the class and make a speech. I never went back! That was the end of my education in a classroom. The rest of my education came from the "School of Hard Knocks."
In 1952 I married Jean Vigoren from Buffalo. We lived on my parents place then later moved to the Juntti place on the Little Missouri River. We had five healthy, tough, rambunctious kids, Rexene Jean, Debbie Mae, Kelly Jo "Bunny", Lex Lee and Alice Joy. The kids all liked the ranch and practically lived on horses as I was breaking horses all the time and shearing sheep (for 18 years) as a sideline to make the ranch work.
In the '80s I moved back to Red Hills where we used to live 40 years before in a sheep wagon; a beautiful spot where I can see 25 to 40 miles in every direction. Cheryl and I were married on Oct. 10, 1994.
I have 15 grandkids that I think the world of. Rexene has Dek, Tandy, and Trinity. Bunny has Tracy, Jesse, Mazee, Mattee, and Emilee. Lex has Lexy, Hazer, Annie Kate, and Jake. Alice has Shaylene, Cole, and Marissa "Missy". All are top cowboys and cowgirls and a wonderful bunch of grandkids. And now there are seven great-grandkids.
I've been broke nearly half my life. I lived behind times compared to a lot of people I know, money wise. In other ways I'm one of the richest and luckiest men I know. What an honor to have so many wonderful friends.
Rex has been a brand inspector for 59 years. In 2002, he was honored at the Stockgrowers meeting in Spearfish for 50 years of service. He was a director for the Ludlow Grazing Association, director for the Camp Crook Roping Club, helped with the Camp Crook Junior Rodeo, 4-H Rodeo and was a high school rodeo director. Throughout his lifetime, Rex met and made many lifelong rodeo friends.
In the last sentence of Rex's obituary that he wrote he sums it up best, "God has blessed me and I wouldn't trade my life for all the world." "It's been a great ride."
Those left to mourn his passing are his wife, Cheryl, Camp Crook; his two brothers, Kenny (Lois) Burghduff, Belle Fourche, and Gerald (Becky) Burghduff, Camp Crook; one sister, Rhoda Mae (J.O.) McDonald, Hulett, Wyo.; his children, Rexene (Justin) Till , Buffalo, Debbie (Bill) Mackay, Custer, Mont., Bunny Bail, Wall, Lex Burghduff, Ludlow, and Alice Burghduff, Glendive, Mont.; 15 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth Lee and Edith Mae Burghduff; his brother, James Otto Burghduff; his sister, Alice Burghduff Johnson; and his nephew, Shawn Burghduff.
Visitation will be for one hour before services.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Camp Crook Community Center, with Pastor Tom Martin officiating. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Camp Crook. A memorial has been established.
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.stevensonfuneralhome.com
Arrangements are under the care of Stevenson Funeral Home in Baker, Mont.
Rex wrote his own obituary as follows: I was born Oct. 26, 1934, at Camp Crook to Edith Mae (Turbiville) and Kenneth Lee Burghduff during the dry depressed years of the Dirty Thirties. We saw a lot of hard up years living in sheep wagons, herding sheep, driving horses, and moving from place to place with my parents, myself, my sister, Alice, two years younger, and my brother, Kenny, four years younger.
Then came the '40s, World War II, more tough and sad times. But the drought broke and we had grass and hay for the livestock.
Us kids started school so my parents settled down on the homestead my granddad had since around 1910 so we could go to country school. I went to the first grade in Camp Crook, the following seven years to Tarter School, much of the time only us three kids going there. I had the same teacher for my last six years of school, Caroline (Peterson) Heggem, a wonderful teacher and dear friend.
In 1947, we had another brother born, but he passed away when only a few hours old. Then in 1949, Gerald, my youngest brother was born, and in 1954 my youngest sister, Rhoda Mae, was born.
I never started to high school the year I got out of the eighth grade. Wanted to stay home and help my dad. This happened to be the winter of '49. It was one of the worst this country has ever seen. We pitched hay and shoveled snow all winter, and drove four head of horses on the sled and fed sheep and cattle – a terrible winter.
The next year some kids talked me into going to high school. I was bashful at that time and the third week my teacher, Jane Bennett, told me on the following Monday I had to get up in front of the class and make a speech. I never went back! That was the end of my education in a classroom. The rest of my education came from the "School of Hard Knocks."
In 1952 I married Jean Vigoren from Buffalo. We lived on my parents place then later moved to the Juntti place on the Little Missouri River. We had five healthy, tough, rambunctious kids, Rexene Jean, Debbie Mae, Kelly Jo "Bunny", Lex Lee and Alice Joy. The kids all liked the ranch and practically lived on horses as I was breaking horses all the time and shearing sheep (for 18 years) as a sideline to make the ranch work.
In the '80s I moved back to Red Hills where we used to live 40 years before in a sheep wagon; a beautiful spot where I can see 25 to 40 miles in every direction. Cheryl and I were married on Oct. 10, 1994.
I have 15 grandkids that I think the world of. Rexene has Dek, Tandy, and Trinity. Bunny has Tracy, Jesse, Mazee, Mattee, and Emilee. Lex has Lexy, Hazer, Annie Kate, and Jake. Alice has Shaylene, Cole, and Marissa "Missy". All are top cowboys and cowgirls and a wonderful bunch of grandkids. And now there are seven great-grandkids.
I've been broke nearly half my life. I lived behind times compared to a lot of people I know, money wise. In other ways I'm one of the richest and luckiest men I know. What an honor to have so many wonderful friends.
Rex has been a brand inspector for 59 years. In 2002, he was honored at the Stockgrowers meeting in Spearfish for 50 years of service. He was a director for the Ludlow Grazing Association, director for the Camp Crook Roping Club, helped with the Camp Crook Junior Rodeo, 4-H Rodeo and was a high school rodeo director. Throughout his lifetime, Rex met and made many lifelong rodeo friends.
In the last sentence of Rex's obituary that he wrote he sums it up best, "God has blessed me and I wouldn't trade my life for all the world." "It's been a great ride."
Those left to mourn his passing are his wife, Cheryl, Camp Crook; his two brothers, Kenny (Lois) Burghduff, Belle Fourche, and Gerald (Becky) Burghduff, Camp Crook; one sister, Rhoda Mae (J.O.) McDonald, Hulett, Wyo.; his children, Rexene (Justin) Till , Buffalo, Debbie (Bill) Mackay, Custer, Mont., Bunny Bail, Wall, Lex Burghduff, Ludlow, and Alice Burghduff, Glendive, Mont.; 15 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth Lee and Edith Mae Burghduff; his brother, James Otto Burghduff; his sister, Alice Burghduff Johnson; and his nephew, Shawn Burghduff.
Visitation will be for one hour before services.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Camp Crook Community Center, with Pastor Tom Martin officiating. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Camp Crook. A memorial has been established.
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.stevensonfuneralhome.com
Arrangements are under the care of Stevenson Funeral Home in Baker, Mont.
To plant trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
Published by Rapid City Journal on Apr. 13, 2011.
MEMORIAL EVENTS
GUEST BOOK
15 Entries
Rexene, Justin & family,
Sorry to hear of you loss. I know the good Lord will give him his reward, and his family the comfort he would want for them. Randy Pritzkau
Sorry to hear of you loss. I know the good Lord will give him his reward, and his family the comfort he would want for them. Randy Pritzkau
April 18, 2011
Thoughts and Prayers for the Burghduff Family. To Rex thanks for taking me from a snot nosed boy from Camp Crook to the man I am today. You taught me alot of lessons in life and I am grateful. Thanks for letting me ride a ways with you in life.
John Berglund Piedmont, South Dakota
John Berglund Piedmont, South Dakota
John Berglund
April 14, 2011
To Cheryl and the Burghduff Family,
I knew Rex and worked for him through my years in high school and a for a year after I graduated. I learned how to break horses and lot about ranch life. He taught me how to work hard and to give every hour of every day 110%. I have lot of good memories of working with Rex but I always remember what he told me when I came to those Red Hills to work, he said "You might work hard while your here but by God when you leave here you will be able to work for anybody". So far this is true Rex was a good man who taught me alot about life. I will always remember him! My thoughts and prayers are with the Burghduff Family. God Bless.
Erik S. Berglund
I knew Rex and worked for him through my years in high school and a for a year after I graduated. I learned how to break horses and lot about ranch life. He taught me how to work hard and to give every hour of every day 110%. I have lot of good memories of working with Rex but I always remember what he told me when I came to those Red Hills to work, he said "You might work hard while your here but by God when you leave here you will be able to work for anybody". So far this is true Rex was a good man who taught me alot about life. I will always remember him! My thoughts and prayers are with the Burghduff Family. God Bless.
Erik S. Berglund
Erik Berglund
April 13, 2011
Our thoughts & prayers are with all of you as you share your loss, your love & your precious memories.
God Bless you.
The Palmers
Jerry & Kay
Byron, Alexyane & Levi
Misty & Alexia
God Bless you.
The Palmers
Jerry & Kay
Byron, Alexyane & Levi
Misty & Alexia
April 13, 2011
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you Rex was one of the good old Cowboys I am sure my Dad will catch up with him get caught up. We have lost some of the best.
Melanie Brown Healey
April 13, 2011
I never had the opportunity to meet Rex but always enjoyed Cheryl Henning's stories of the ranch. Through those stories I felt that I knew Rex. I grew up on a farm/ranch and he sounded so much like neighbors that I use to know in my childhood. I know that he will be missed by all those that knew him but I wanted to let you know that he would also be missed by those of us who only knew him through the stories. God bless Rex's family and loved ones. You will all be in my thoughts and prayers as you put him to rest.
Laurie Sutterer
April 13, 2011
Sorry to hear about Rex we lost a great gentlemen cowboy.
Mike Kornemann
April 13, 2011
Jesse,
I'm sorry to hear about your grandpa, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
I'm sorry to hear about your grandpa, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Tanya Miller-White
April 13, 2011
Bunny I am so very sorry to hear about your Dad. God called home one of the very best Cowboys. I guess he needed a few more Great hands on his ranch up there in Heaven. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. Michel Melvin (Wounded Knee)
Michel Melvin
April 13, 2011
I'm sorry to hear about Rex.My prayers with the family.
Dick Porter
April 13, 2011
I'm so sorry to hear about Rex. We will miss Rex dearly. He was truly one of the "Last American Cowboys" He always treated us like his own family and we all loved him dearly! Lori (Henning) Stahl and family
Lori (Henning) Stahl
April 13, 2011
WHAT AN AWSOME MAN UR FATHER WAS. I NEVER MET HIM, BUT WISHED I HAD. I'M SO SORRY FOR UR LOSS. GOD BLESS YALL. PATSY POLLAT (NEWCASTLE)
April 13, 2011
Rhoda, I am sorry to hear about Rex. I always enjoyed the time I had to visit with him. You are in my prayers. Margaret
Margaret Rauth
April 13, 2011
i'm so sorry to hear about rex. God got a real cowboy this time. Rex always had time for anyone. God be with his family.
craig price
April 13, 2011
Bunny, I am so sorry to read about your Dad. May God be with you and your family during this time. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Ruth
Ruth Hepper
April 13, 2011