John Gurney, age 53 of Yankton passed away on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton from cancer. Memorial Service will be 2:00 PM, Saturday, September 24, 2011 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Chapel, Yankton with Rev. Mark Lichter officiating. Burial of John's cremated remains will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery. Visitations will begin Saturday at 1:00 PM and will continue until the time of the service at the funeral home.
John was born on October 25, 1957 to Elizabeth "Elsie" (Brech) and the late Edgar Gurney in Yankton, SD. John is a graduate of Yankton High School. He worked for a short time at the Yankton Human Services Center before he started his lawn mowing business. He also drove school bus for 20 years in which time he enjoyed the children who rode with him. John often related the fun he had with them. He enjoyed going to craft shows in which he had a line of woodworking. He could take a picture and cut one out of wood with a saber saw. John did some beautiful work especially his large work of the "Lord's Prayer".
John is survived by his mother, Elizabeth "Elsie" Gurney of Yankton; two brothers, Stephen (Linda Sue) Gurney of Mankato, MN and Douglas (Lynne) Gurney of Yankton; three sisters, Marcia Gurney of Milwaukee, WI, Linda (Michael) Gilles of Pawling, NY and Sandra (Philip) Spanos of Mitchell, SD; one aunt, Cecilia Schaefer of Yankton; twelve nieces and nephews; ten great-nieces and great-nephews.
He is preceded in death by his father, Edgar and brothers, Dennis and Terrell, his grandparents, Sewell "Teed" Gurney and Myrtle Gurney and Stephen and Margaret Brech.
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