Paul Handrahan

Memorial Services for Paul Handrahan, 65, Arapaho, OK resident will be held 10:00 AM, Saturday, October 7, 2023, in the First Baptist Church in Clinton, officiated by Pastor Kent Jaggers. Arrangements were made through the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home.

Paul Edward Hanrahan was born December 17, 1957, in Pierre, DS, to Frances Irene Nemec, and passed away peacefully in his home, Tuesday, September 12, 2023, in Arapaho, OK.

Paul was raised in Kadoka, South Dakota by his loving parents Frances and Raymond Terkildsen. He had a wonderful childhood growing up at the Terkildsen Ranch which became the scene of lots of adventures and learning. While there, he learned hard work, farming, ranching, helping build the family home, swimming, skiing at LaCreek with the VanderMay cousins, and playing poker and pitch through blizzards.

Paul graduated from Longvalley High School in Kadoka and attended college at BHSU in Spearfish. After college, Paul moved to Oklahoma and began working at Great Plains Tire. He met Tammy Keith while out dancing and they got married in 1986. The couple had many happy years together raising their children, Stanley, Keith, Jr., Waylon Keith, and Kristina Bartlett. Paul worked at Great Plains Tire for several years and in 2002 he went to work for Bar-S Foods in Clinton, Oklahoma where he was presently employed.

Family was Paul’s main priority. Paul was a great listener and despite the distance, kept in close touch with his family through phone calls. He was always just a phone call away with infinite patience to listen. Paul’s children and grandchildren were the light of his life, and he was proud to share lots of stories of their many accomplishments an adventure. He enjoyed spending time with his children, and grandchildren and playing his new songs for them. His grandchildren were the inspiration for his song, “Maybe”. Throughout the last couple of years as his health challenges grew, his children and grandchildren provided a great deal of support and comfort, taking him to appointments and helping him maintain his home and large yard.

Paul loved to go camping, tell jokes, and write and play his own songs. He taught himself to play the guitar. He had a big heart and enjoyed giving back to the community. He would play his songs for many audiences including nursing homes where the residents would get to sing and dance along. He enjoyed the smiles and happiness from the veterans and elderly and the difference he could make in their lives. He would also play his songs at the family reunions in South Dakota. He was a loving father and grandfather that would take his time choosing the perfect birthday cards fit for each of his loved ones every year.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his children, Stanley Keith, Jr.., and wife, Amy, Custer City, OK, Waylon Keith and wife, Mary, Clinton, OK, and Kristina Bartlett, Clinton, OK, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his siblings, Joe Handrahan and Gail, Aletta Salganek, Rock Terkildsen, Grant and Kathy Terkildsen, William and Naomi Terkildsen and Barb Dundas. Paul also considered Suzanne VanderMay more of a sibling than a cousin.

He leaves behind numerous Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Nieces, Nephews and friends who remember him fondly and will miss him greatly. His ashes will be scattered at the beloved Terkildsen Ranch along with hollyhocks and yellow roses planted in honor of Uncle Pickleford, the nickname given to him by his niece, Shiloh Terkildsen.