HURON — William Joseph “Billy Joe” Eining Jr., age 73, of Huron, passed away Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at Huron Regional Medical Center, with his family by his side and after his short battle with cancer.
His Mass of Christian burial is 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 9, at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish with burial at St. Paul’s Catholic Cemetery in Iroquois. Visitation, with his family present, is from 5 to 7 p.m., on Monday, April 8, at Welter Funeral Home in Huron; or one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday morning.
Billy Joe was born in Huron, on December 31, 1950, to Bill and Mary (Marsh) Eining and grew up in Iroquois, where he graduated in 1969. His Iroquois classmates referred to him as “Just a quiet, shy and modest boy.” Billy Joe served four years in the De Smet National Guard and attended Dakota State University for one year. He was a member of the Catholic faith.
Billy Joe married Deanna Kelley on December 18, 1971, in Iroquois, and had two children, Billy and Sherry. Billy Joe married Janice Meyer on August 23, 1989, in Huron, and they had two children Nikki and John.
Billy Joe enjoyed his life of golfing, card-playing, and giving unwarranted advice to anyone within earshot. He loved telling stories of the “Quois Boys” and informed everyone that “the best of the best” came out of Iroquois. Billy Joe loved cooking and spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He loved sharing his opinion on movies, music, and “Billy Joe’s” way of running stuff. Billy Joe enjoyed his Plains coffee club, his Sportsman’s card-playing crew, and the Country Club golf leaguers. Billy Joe spent hours playing cards or hosting board game nights with his family and friends.
Billy Joe was a jack of all trades and had many professions from working as a butcher, a salesman, a card dealer, a food, bar, and hotel manager, a realtor, and a restaurant owner.
Billy Joe reminded his family often that he won the cutest baby contest and was blessed with award-winning good looks. He was the oldest of 10 and reminded everyone, “he ran stuff.” He was one of a kind and lived by, “You take care of your people.” Billy Joe’s family and friends experienced this often as a result of his big heart.
Grateful for having shared in Billy Joe’s life are his wife, Janice of Huron; his four children: William (Dawn) Eining III, Huron, Sherry Eining, Huron, Nikki (Eric) Kannegieter, Brookings, and John (Lindsay Bales) Eining, Eden Prairie Minn., 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and his siblings: Sandi (Marlen) Winter, St. Lawrence, Sharon (Bruce Heitman) Eining, Sioux Falls, Traci (Bryan) Flanigan, Urbandale, Iowa, Steve Eining, Brookings, Joe Eining, Dell Rapids, Keith (Jodie) Eining, Dell Rapids, Lori (Jamie) Reetz, Webster; sister-in-law, Becky Eining, Sommerset; sister-in-law Patricia (Don) Wenzel, Wessington Springs, brother-in-law Mark (Sandy) Meyer, Woonsocket, many nieces, nephews, cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Billy Joe is preceded in death by his parents: Bill and Mary; his parents-in-law LeRoy and Marie Meyer, grandparents: Ed and Alice Eining, Neil Francis, Hazel, and Laurena Marsh; brothers, Kim and Greg Eining; in-laws: Muriel (Albert) Schmidt, Jackie (Robert) Hinker, Vicki Harris and Jeanie Sandness and nephews and nieces.
At his 50-year class reunion, Billy Joe stated, “I lived my life the way I wanted, and I am proud to be from IHS.”