Raymond Belle "Bud" LaRoche, 88, was born on August 12, 1925, in Chamberlain, SD, the son of Phillip and Winnifred (DeSmet) LaRoche. He died on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at the Brookings Hospital. Funeral services will be 10:00am, Monday, June 23, 2014, at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings. Visitation will be from 5pm until 7pm, Sunday at Eidsness Funeral Home. Bud was raised near Lower Brule, SD, where he attended school through the 8th grade. He then stayed at home to help ranch before joining the United States Navy at the age of 17, and served his country during WWII. Bud served on the USS Intrepid, where he saw considerable action in the Pacific. After serving in the Navy, he returned home to ranch and rodeo. Bud moved to California, Texas and back to South Dakota where he never stopped ranching. He was united in marriage to Jane Nigg in 1963, in Sisseton, SD. After their marriage, the family moved to Summit and later to Milbank, SD, where he worked as a police officer for the next 20 years. Bud also owned and operated Carol's Ice Cream Parlor and Western Shop in Milbank. He was a founding member of the Milbank Rodeo Association and also drove school bus for a number of years. After he retired from the police force, Bud met Toni Taylor and they moved to Pipestone, Minnesota, Nebraska, and then to the Brookings area. Bud was a very talented saddle maker and wonderful artist. He was a cowboy in every sense of the word. He loved to rodeo and even owned a race horse called "Ricky Star". Bud will be remembered for his gentle heart and his cowboy demeanor of never complaining. He was known by his family and friends as "uncle Bud". While he could not resist a good joke with the people he loved, Bud often stated that; he could not ask for a better bunch of family and friends. Bud is survived by his daughter, Cayleigh (Scott) LaRoche - Mueller of Minneapolis, MN sister; Phyllis (Basil) Robertson of Sisseton, SD; his children, Bradley LaRoche of Watertown, SD, Bryon LaRoche of Minneapolis, MN, Jamie (Robin - fiancé) LaRoche of Big Stone City, SD, Terry (Samantha) Taylor of Madison, SD; four grandchildren, Katelyn, Hailey, Gavin and Logan; special niece and nephew, John Zimmer and Laurie Robertson and numerous other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Phillip Jr., and one sister, Mildred.