63
Renner, SD
May 29, 2021
Tony was born in Rochester, Minn., to his father Lloyd and mother Diane. His family included his brothers Jay, Jerry and David and his sisters Sandy and Holly. They moved to Sioux Falls when Tony was around six years old where he met his lifetime buddy Doug Chaney. They attended school together at Robert Frost Elementary, Patrick Henry Middle School, followed by Lincoln High School. Tony and Doug shared many adventures together until the day Tony passed.
Tony became interested in hunting and fishing at a young age while he was always tagging along with his older brothers Jay and Jerry. While spearing carp with them he discovered his love for archery. Tony loved spending time at the lake fishing and spending time with children, grandchildren, family and friends. His love for scuba diving developed when he became certified in 1992 and thereafter travelled the world diving and hunting.
He loved bear hunting in Canada with his friend Mike Adey and had been at Bear Camp for the past 12 years on his birthday; a few times filling his tag with a bear on his birthday. His “Man Cave” reflects his love for hunting. Throughout the years many lifelong friends were made during his hunting endeavors.
Tony and his brother Jerry worked for Pete Medema Construction doing steel studs and dry wall. After Pete passed away, Jerry and Tony took over that business and transitioned into doing exterior finishes of buildings with stone and dryvit (like stucco). Together they formed Travis EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finish Systems) in 1987 and worked together for 45 years.
When Tony was about 27, he was blessed when his stepson Nick Kelley entered his life. Nick was the apple of his eye and Tony loved teaching him to hunt, fish and play ball.
Around age 36, five beautiful little girls entered his life. He chose to love Keele, Kiri, Kamille, Kortnei, and Kassandra as his own. He loved spoiling them rotten. He would bring them on many special outings ranging from Perkins where he let them order anything they wanted, which was most often milkshakes, to Disney World. He always talked with pride in his voice about how he bought more prom dresses and girl stuff than anyone he ever knew. And he loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute, because with five girls there was a fair amount of drama. He frequently had to control his urge to strangle the boyfriends he did not like. He commented many times how blessed he was that his girls turned out to be fantastic moms and married great guys, and what an amazing family he was blessed with.
Tony and Marcene knew each other through a mutual love for scuba diving. They started dating in December 2011. They were united in marriage in January 2014. He and his wife Marcene were deeply in love, bonded by their strong Christian faith. They could fish together for hours upon hours and days upon days and never get sick of it because when you are with your favorite person, there is no other place you’d rather be. Together they enjoyed many adventures as travel partners as they explored the world together hand in hand. They completed each other’s world. God truly blessed the broken road that led them to each other. Combining their two families created what they lovingly referred to as their “Mob”, which consisted of 10 children and 27 grandchildren.
Many laughs and memories were shared when Tony and his siblings would get together. They often had group texts going back and forth, which were very entertaining because of their dry sense of humor. Tony also loved family reunions catching up with relatives and reminiscing.
Tony was a strong Christian man who loved to help people. He knew Jesus and loved the Lord. Tony was diagnosed in 2015 with IPF (Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis). It started with a cough that would not go away and in January of 2021 the disease began progressively attacking his lungs. Tony fought fiercely against it, while keeping his sense of humor, to the end of his life. Near the end, he was able to communicate very clearly that he knew donor lungs were not God’s plan for him, and he was ready for his heavenly home. Knowing how much Tony lived his life to the fullest, we will not be lost in the darkness of grief. We will celebrate his life and remember how he brought life to others through organ donation.
Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Marcene; his five daughters, Keele Wrich and her husband, Matt, Hartford, Kiri Sells and her husband, Josh, Baltic, Kamille Callies and her husband, Nick, Hartford, Kortnei Van Ravenswaay and her husband, Trent, Parker, Kassandra Schreurs and her husband, Travis, Baltic, five stepchildren, Nick Kelley and his wife, Alicyn, Raleigh, N.C., Janell Hasselmann and her husband, Jeff, Larchwood, Iowa, Christy Te Slaa and her husband, Joel, Harrisburg, Michael Klarenbeek and his wife, Hailey, Harrisburg, Teresa Blauwet and her husband, Caleb, Sioux Falls; 27 grandchildren; five siblings, Jay Travis and his wife, Joyce, Brandon, Jerry Travis and his wife, Bab, Brandon, Sandy Whitcher and her husband, Mike, Rapid City, David Travis, Sioux Falls, Holly Henderson and her husband, Scott, Burbank; his stepfather, Harry Eidsness, Canton; and many other relatives and friends.
Tony was preceded in death by his father and stepmother, Lloyd and Kathy Travis and his mother, Diane Eidsness.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of Tony for youth programs at Ignite Life Church, 512 E. 5th St., Dell Rapids, SD 57022 or KNWC Radio, 4721 W. 71st St., Sioux Falls, SD 57108.
His funeral service was held Friday, June 4, at George Boom Funeral Home & On-site Crematory, Sioux Falls, with burial at Grandview Covenant Cemetery, rural Larchwood, Iowa.
Arrangements provided by George Boom Funeral Home.