Patrick J. Laverdure
July 22, 1940 - May 14, 2020

Mass of Christian Rites for Patrick J. Laverdure, 79, of Fort Thompson, SD, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 23, 2020, at Fiddler’s Hall in Belcourt, ND.
Wake services were held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, 2020, at the Lower Brule Community Center in Lower
Brule, SD.
Wake services were held at Fiddler’s Hall in Belcourt, ND, on Friday, May 22, 2020.
Patrick J. Laverdure died May 14, 2020, at Sanford Mid-Dakota Hospital of Chamberlain, SD.
Patrick J. Laverdure was born July 22, 1940, at Belcourt, ND, to Patrick Laverdure and Patline (Vondal) Laverdure.
He grew up in and attended his early school years in Belcourt, ND, before attending high school at Wahpeton Indian School and Flandreau Indian School of Flandreau, SD. He did live a few years in Kentucky when
his dad was stationed at Fort Campbell.
Pat was always a hard worker and talked often about his times working on farms, road construction, building construction, traveling about for different jobs throughout North Dakota and South Dakota when he was a
teenager. He impressed upon his children and grandchildren the value of hard work.
Pat met his wife, Arletta, in Belcourt, ND, and they were married in 1964.
They spent their early married years in Belcourt, ND, and had Terry and Michelle. They moved to California where Colleen and Jolleen were born.
During their time in California, he worked on the United States Naval Base in Alameda. He had many good memories of their time in California.
They eventually moved back and made their home in South Dakota in 1974.
Pat worked with a road construction crew as a heavy equipment operator, who built Highway 1806 from Lower Brule, SD, to Pierre, SD. He then went to work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Facilities Management in Lower Brule, SD, in 1975 and then the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe when they took over operation.
He had to retire in 2018, after 43 years, due to poor health.
Pat was humble, kind and generous with family and friends. He helped whomever he could. He also had a great sense of humor, always teasing the grandkids.
Family was very important to him. He attended his grandkids’ events or games and was their biggest fan.
Papa, as they called him, was their hero. They all looked for him for hugs, advice or encouragement.
Pat valued his friends as well. Being a resident of Lyman County of South Dakota for so many years, he had lifelong friends from all over. He enjoyed playing in the local pool leagues, was the manager for the Gourneau
Brothers softball team in the early years and kept busy with working on vehicles, puzzles and completing crosswords.
Grateful for having shared his life are his children, a son, Terry Laverdure of Belcourt, ND; daughters, Jolleen Laverdure and Jay of Lower Brule, SD,
and Colleen Laverdure of Fort Thompson, SD; his brothers, Dennis Laverdure and wife, Leslie of Belcourt, ND, and Gary Laverdure of Belcourt,
ND; special extended family, Ken and Brenda Waterbury of Sioux Falls, SD; 12 grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Arletta Laverdure; a daughter, Michelle; his parents, Pat and Patline Laverdure and sisters, Yvonne and Colleen.
Hickey Funeral Chapel of Chamberlain, SD, was in charge of arrangements.
The obituary may be seen at www.hickeyfuneralchapel.com.