p>Elliot "Sonny" Fabian Laramie, 86, of Custer SD, passed away Monday, November 14, 2022, in Monument Health Hospital, Rapid City, SD. Funeral services begin at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 21st at Chamberlain-McColley's Funeral Home in Custer SD. Visitation will be on Sunday, November 20 ^th from 1 to 3 p.m. at the same location.   Interment will be in the Custer Cemetery.

Sonny was born in Florissant, Missouri, in September 1936 to Fabian and Goldie Laramie.   He was the second oldest of 6 children and ended his education to help provide for the family by working after he finished 8 ^th grade.  Sonny was an Army paratrooper in the 82 ^nd Airborne Division after being drafted into the Korean war in 1958.

Sonny married Beverly A. Taylor in February 1961 and they had twin baby boys in 1962.  In 1964, Sonny and Bev took a vacation to look at ranches in Wyoming for Sonny's boss, Mr. Edward "Bud" K. Love and they never went back to Missouri except to visit.

Sonny worked on two different ranches in Buffalo, Wyoming, UM Ranch and Rauch Ranch.  At the UM, Sonny raised wild buffalo and cows.  He loved ranching and would work from dawn to dusk.  He was also a hunting guide for various groups at the UM.  For two years in between ranches, Sonny and Bev owned the Stockmen's Hotel in downtown Buffalo.

Sonny loved to race cars and even worked with Mike Mickelson to build his own stock car and sprint car.  On the weekends, the family including 4 children would travel across Wyoming to different racetracks for racing excitement.

In 1976, the family moved to Gillette Wyoming, and Sonny worked at the Cordero Mine as welder for 16 years.  He put in long hours and took every overtime shift he could to provide for his family.

The family took trips to Lake Powell in Arizona and other fishing trips hiking up in the Big Horn Mountains in Buffalo.  Sonny loved his family dearly and was a great father and husband.

Sonny retired in 1992 after being stricken with multiple sclerosis several years earlier and was no longer able to work.  In 1992, Sonny and Bev also moved to Custer, South Dakota where they have lived in retirement for 30 years making several great friends.  Sonny enjoyed going out to breakfast, collecting coins, feeding the wild turkeys and deer, playing slot machines at the little casino and sitting on deck to watch the birds.

Sonny is survived by his wife, Beverly Laramie; his children Chris Laramie, Monty Laramie (Kerry), Elliot Laramie Jr. (Marla), and Nita Laramie-Eaton (Ken).  He is also survived by his siblings Mary Gardner and Jack Laramie (Eileen) and his many grandchildren Russell, Jason, Lacey, Adrian, Chris Jr, Sarah, Anna and Joseph and five great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society memorial fund to help others battling this disease.  h ttps://mssociety.donordrive.com/campaign/Sonny-Laramie

Cards and condolences may be mailed to Beverly Laramie at Box 380, Custer SD 57730.