Martin P. Farrell

Plankinton, SD

1934, 1789, Pactola, F-4,

Long-time Black Hills lawyer Martin P. Farrell died February 8, 1995 at St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson, Arizona, following a heart attack.

A Wake Service was held at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Hot Springs at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday Night, February 12. Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Anthony's Catholic Church on Monday, February 13, at 10:30 a.m. with interment at Evergreen Cemetery, with full military honors.

Martin was born on October 21, 1912, in Mt. Vernon, South Dakota, to Martin A. and Margaret (Lawlor) Farrell. After graduating from Plankinton High School, Martin was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corp before entering college at the former Southern Normal College in Springfield, South Dakota. Upon graduation from Southern Normal he attended the University of South Dakota Law School from which he was graduated in 1940. At the outbreak of WWII he joined the Army and rose to the rank of Captain. As a member of the United States Army, he served as a body guard for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and joined the Counter-Intelligence Corp of the Office of Strategic Services. While in the Army he was in the Military Intelligence and as such was attached to the 26th Division in the front lines of the Third Army. He was assigned to penetrate German lines to gather information for the G-2. For this he received the Bronze Star and the Croix de Guerre.

Upon discharge from the Army he relocated and started a private law practice in April, 1946 in Hot Springs, South Dakota, where he continued to practice law until the time of his death. He had the pleasure of serving as City Attorney for the City of Hot Springs and Deputy State's Attorney for Fall River County, South Dakota.

At the outbreak of the Korean Conflict he was recalled to service and was stationed at the Counter-Intelligence Corp Unit in Fort Holibird, Maryland. On December 31, 1949, he was united in marriage with Margaret V. Joyce in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1990, Martin received his 50 year pin from the South Dakota State Bar Association. Martin served as a Director of First National Bank of the Black Hills for ten years; was President of the Board of Directors of West River Mental Health Center; a member of the Board of Directors of Southern Hills General Hospital where he served as President for 25 years; President of the Wind Cave National History Association; a member of the Mt. Rushmore National Memorial Society; and a charter member of the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota, and served on the Board of Directors until his death; and a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion.

Martin is survived by his wife, Margaret, of Hot Springs, his children and grandchildren Joyce Farrell of Hot Springs, Jane Farrell-Ginsbach and her husband Pat Ginsbach of Hot Springs and their children Franklin Farrell Ginsbach, Katherine Elizabeth Ginsbach and Mary Clair Ginsbach; Martin G. Farrell and his wife Mary Farrell of Rapid City and their children Martin Alexander Farrell, Kristin Cecile-Marie Farrell and Theresa Jeanne Farrell; Thomas P. Farrell of Grand Canyon, Arizona, and Margaret M. Farrell of Custer, South Dakota; a sister, Mary E. Brenden of Ida Grove, Iowa, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Gene Farrell, Frank Farrell and Don Farrell.

In lieu of flowers, the family has established memorials for Red Cloud Indian School, Pine Ridge, South Dakota, and St. Anthony's Catholic Church Bus Fund, of Hot Springs, South Dakota.

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