Lawrence "Larry" Hejna

Lawrence “Larry” Hejna, age 83, of Las Vegas, Nevada died on Saturday, October 8, 2022 at Centennial Hills Medical Center in Las Vegas.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 AM, on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Tabor, South Dakota with Reverend Joe Forcelle officiating.  Burial will be the St. Wenceslaus Cemetery in Tabor with military honors provided by the Kortan-Hatwan American Legion Post No. 183 and the SD Army National Guard Funeral Honors.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Yankton, South Dakota.

Lawrence James Hejna was born on June 8, 1939 on the family farm near Janousek, South Dakota to Emil and Helen (Kralicek) Hejna.  He attended St. Wenceslaus Catholic School in Tabor and graduated from Tabor High School in 1957.  After high school, Larry went to Ohio and received his training to work on the railroad.  He worked for the Baltimore-Ohio Railroad before entering the United States Army on April 21, 1959.  Larry was a parachute jumper and sharpshooter and was honorably discharged on April 9, 1962.  After his discharge, he worked for the Daily Racing Form in Oklahoma where he traveled throughout the Midwest to different horse racing tracks, posted racing results and wrote articles for the Form.  Larry spent most of his retirement years living in Las Vegas.

Those left to cherish his memory include his sister, Elizabeth “Betty” Slama of Yankton; brother, Robert Hejna of Tabor; two sisters-in-law: Kathy Hejna of Tabor and Marilyn Hejna of Utica, SD; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Larry was preceded in death by his grandparents and parents; five brothers: Emil Jr., Stephen, Kenneth, Clarence and Lloyd Hejna; brother-in-law, Laddie Slama; and three sisters-in-law: Lila, Donna and Agnes Hejna.