Clifford J. “Cliff” Pies, age 93, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at a care center in Watertown.  Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 30, 2012, at the Crawford Funeral Chapel in Watertown.  Rev. Iver Possehl will officiate. 

Burial will be at 12:30 p.m. at the Ortley Cemetery, Ortley, SD.  Military graveside honors will be conducted by Frank H. Adams Post #750 of the V.F.W. of Watertown and the Military Funeral Honors Team of the SD Army National Guard.  Honorary pallbearers will be all of Clifford’s grandchildren.  Active pallbearers will be his grandsons: Troy Thompson, David Thompson, Jr., Lynn Thompson, Kevin Pies, Randy Pies and Alvin Pies, Jr.

Visitation will be at the Crawford Funeral Chapel in Watertown on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. and prior to services at the chapel on Saturday.

Clifford was born on November 26, 1918, on the family farm in Blooming Valley Township, Grant County, near Ortley, SD, to Joseph and Stella Augusta (Swantz) Pies. He attended rural country grammar schools in the Ortley area and graduated from Waubay High School in 1939.

On September 24, 1941, Clifford married Marjorie Meyer on the Meyer farm, north of Hurricane Lake in rural Summit, SD.  Following their marriage, the couple relocated to Medford, DE, for a short time where he was a supervisor of a tomato cannery.  On January 20, 1943, Clifford enlisted in the U.S. Army at Ft. Snelling, MN.  While in the continental United States, he trained in amphibious tank maneuvers.  On May 15, 1944, they purchased a farm northeast of Hurricane Lake.  On October 23, 1945, Clifford was shipped to Japan where he served in the Asiatic Pacific Theater during WWII.  While in Japan, he drove medium tanks in maneuvers and hauled motor parts and heavy equipment to construction sites.  The last four months, he worked guard duty at Sugamo prison, guarding Japanese and German prisoners.  He watched work detail inside the wall, did regimental police duty and guarded government installations.  Clifford returned to the U.S. on August 30, 1946.  On October 27, 1946, he received his Honorable Discharge separation papers at Ft. Lewis, WA.  During his service, he received the Army of Occupation medal (Japan), Asiatic Pacific Service medal, Good Conduct medal and Victory medal.

Following his discharge from the Army, Clifford went back to his farm to do what he loved best, milking cows and plowing, cultivating and harvesting his land.  In 1965, he moved to Watertown and took a job as a welder at Medallion Homes.  Due to his wife’s ill health, he sold the farm in 1976 and Marjorie passed away in 1977.  Clifford continued to reside and work in Watertown until his retirement in 1985.  He retained his residence in Watertown but spent time at his youngest son’s farm in rural Summit, SD, raising pigs and helping around the farm until his own health failed in November of 2002,  In March 2003, he made his home with his daughter until June 15, 2011, when he moved to Jenkins Living Center.

He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith.  Clifford was a former member of Zion Lutheran Church in Waubay, SD, and attended Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Watertown.  Clifford was a lifetime member of the Ortley/Watertown V.F.W.  He loved farming and hunting and playing horseshoes, cards and checkers.

Clifford is survived by one daughter, Bonnie (David) Thompson, of Watertown, SD; three sons: Arlon (Judy) Pies of Big Stone City, SD, Leon (Patsy) Pies of Hubbard, NE, and Alvin Pies of Summit, SD; 12 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Clarence (Ruth) Pies, of Watertown, SD; and three sisters: Lillian Leavitt of Milbank, SD, Mavis Larson of Sartell, MN, and Delores Schmieg of Bristol, SD.

He was preceded in death by his wife, two infant children, one great-grandchild and one daughter-in-law.