Jiggs O'Connell

Jiggs O'Connell was born October 1, 1922 on a ranch at Pedro, SD. He attended country school through the ninth grade and graduated from Rapid City High School. Jiggs returned to the family ranch when his brothers were drafted in WW II, as an ear defect kept him from the service. Upon his brother’s return, Jiggs purchased the Badlands Bar in Wall, SD. He sold the bar and moved to Miles City, MT where he purchased the Rendezvous Club. He closed the club, bought cattle and ranched with his brother Jim in Ismay, MT. He bought the Alvin Tescher (Tom Porter) ranch in the North Dakota Badlands in 1958. He and Ardene Wheeler were married on November 15, 1958 at Deadwood, SD. To this union two children were born, Kathy and Scotty.

Jiggs was very civic minded and worked to get the telephone service in the community, served on the Medora Grazing Board and the Billings County School Board. He was a member of the Belfield Lutheran Church and later St. John’s Lutheran, the Elk’s Club and the North Dakota Stockgrowers. His great love other than family was his Black Angus Cattle.

Jiggs is survived by: wife, Ardene, Dickinson, ND; daughter Kathy, Fort Myers, FL; son Scott, Los Angeles, CA; his brother in-law, George Wheeler and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

He is preceded in death by: his parents, Jim and Doris (Daly) O’Connell; three brothers and five sisters. 

Visitation was held from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, September 5, 2008 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson, ND with family receiving friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Funeral services were held 11 a.m., Saturday, September 6, 2008 at the Belfield Lutheran Church, Belfield, ND with Pastor Roger Dieterle officiating. 

A service was then  held at 10 a.m., Monday, September 8, 2008 at the First Lutheran Church in Philip, SD with burial following at  the Masonic Cemetery, Philip, SD. 

Family suggests memorials to your favorite charity.

Service Details

Funeral services:  11 a.m. Saturday, September 6, at the Belfield Lutheran Church in Belfield, North Dakota
Funeral services:  10 a.m. Monday, September 8, at the First Lutheran Church in Philip.
Interment:  Masonic Cemetery, Philip