Leray L avern L ytle w as b orn t o E ldon a nd Adeline ( Ehlers) L ytle o n J anuary 2 , 1 935, i n Garfield County at his maternal grandparents’ home. H e w as the o ldest o f f our b oys i n t he family. H e a ttended r ural s chools t hrough t he eighth grade. In 1 951, t he f amily m oved t o a ranch in C uster, S .D. H e w orked i n v arious areas of construction until 1965 when he bought a plumbing and heating business in Custer. On September 4, 1970, he married Doris M. Bettcher a t t he Z ion L utheran C hurch i n Rapid City, S.D. He was baptized and confirmed on May 21, 1972, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Custer. On November 26, 1971, their first child, Adeline, was born. Their second child, Aaron, followed on May 5, 1974. In 1978, the decision was made to move Lytle’s Plumbing and Heating, to Ainsworth. The family moved t o a s mall a creage o utside o f A insworth. L eray g rew t he business. He raised a small herd of cattle as his “hobby.” In 2000, he sold t he b usiness b ut continued t o w ork f or t he o wner u ntil h e “retired” i n 2 009 b ecause of h is h ealth. I n 2 015, L eray a nd D oris moved to Juniata to be closer to family. On July 6 he passed away at his home. Leray was preceded in death by his grandparents and parents; brother Gary Lytle; and grandsons Ezekiel and Zebediah Johnson. He is survived by his wife Doris; brothers Donald (Joan) Lytle of Custer, S.D. and Galen (Lynn) Lytle of Long Pine; his children Adeline (Wade) Johnson of Hastings and Aaron (Sara) Lytle of Houston, Texas; his children from a p revious m arriage S ally, S cott a nd S teve; a long with his grandchildren Zipporah and Zoe Johnson, and Abrianna, Zachariah, Aaliyah and Amariah Lytle. A graveside memorial service was held on Friday, July 10, in the Zion Lutheran C emetery n orthwest o f A insworth. P astor P aul D unbar officiated at the event. The music selections were: “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” and “Nunc Dimittis.” Memorials were suggested to the F aith L utheran C hurch i n H astings o r Z ion L utheran C hurch i n Ainsworth. Arrangements were handled through the Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home of Hastings and the Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth. Condolences may be left for the family at www.hochfuneralhome.com.