Bradley James Konechne, 57, our beloved son, brother, uncle and friend, of Midland, Mich., passed away surrounded by his family on Oct. 6, 2013 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. A Memorial and Celebration of Life Service will be held Friday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. at the 1905 Opera House in Wessington Springs. Food and fellowship will follow the service.
Brad was born Dec, 22, 1955 in Mitchell to Howard and Nancy (Auld) Konechne, who lived in Kimball at the time. He started country school in Richland Township near Kimball, then continued in Wessington Springs Township after the family moved to a farm outside of Wessington Springs. He graduated from the Wessington Springs High School in 1974. He attended Mount Marty College in Yankton and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts and biology degrees. While working for the Pankratz Lab in Freeman, he received a masters degree in communications from the University of South Dakota.
At age 21, he developed Hodgkin’s Lymphoma disease and struggled with health problems for the remainder of his life. At the time, intense full-body radiation was the treatment for Hodgkin’s, which saved his life. However, the damage to his body from the radiation was ultimately what took his life. His heart, lungs and eventually kidneys failed from the long-term effects of radiation. For the past year he lived with his parents in Wessington Springs.
Brad had a photographic memory and was very talented in many things including photography, music, painting, jewelry and sculpture. He apprenticed with master landscape painter, A.D. Greer, in Albuquerque, N.M., and had his first art show of paintings on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Later he moved to Midland, Mich. close to his brother, Todd, where he started a successful graphic design business and continued to pursue his art. Brad also had a very inventive mind and was inventing up through his last days.
Brad is survived by his parents, Howard and Nancy Auld Konechne of Wessington Springs; sisters, Deb Konechne and Teresa Konechne of the Twin Cities; brother, Todd of Sanford, Mich.; nieces and nephew, NaCole Bezpaletz of Rapid City, Eliana Konechne Redfield of St. Paul and Chris Johnson of Kansas City; beloved nephews, Kevin, Kyle and Kris Konechne of Sanford, Mich.; and many uncles and aunts, along with loyal friend, Alan Dougan, he leaves behind many friends in Midland, Yankton and Wessington Springs.
Brad was preceded in death by his grandparents, Don and Alice Nelson Auld of Plankinton and Paul and Mayme Mines Konechne of Kimball.
Basham Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.