Emiliano Arguello, 90, formerly of Rapid City, slipped quietly into the hands of the Lord on Thursday, August 1, 2019 at his home in Henderson, NV, surrounded by loved ones. He had been battling several illnesses for an extended period of time.

Emiliano was born on May 17, 1929 in Lumberton, New Mexico to Jose and Matilde Arguello. He moved to South Dakota at the age of 6 where he grew up and started working for the railroad at an early age. During this time he met his future loving wife, Pauline Perez in Rapid City. Emiliano and Pauline were married in October 1945. Over the next 62 years they raised a family including eight children, 14 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren at the time of her passing. During the remainder of his life that he shared with his loving family, he was able to experience the joy and love of watching his ever growing family increase by 3 great grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren.

Emiliano was a man of many talents holding a variety of jobs. He went from working on the railroad, to working as an elevator attendant at the Alex Johnson Hotel. In 1949, Emiliano started working for the City of Rapid City where he began his career in the sanitation department. Over the years, he continued to advance his career within the City as a heavy equipment operator (there was not a piece of equipment that he could not run), being promoted to Maintenance Chief for the street department passing on his knowledge and experience. Deciding to retire after 40 years with the City of Rapid City, Emiliano decided that retirement was overrated. He then spent a few years of his retirement working at Hills Material. After his re-retirement, as he called it, you could still find him looking for ways to keep himself busy.

Emiliano had a wonderful sense of humor. He loved to read westerns and cowboy poetry. He was a great dancer, loved to sing and could be found playing his harmonica often. He also enjoyed riding horses, and working the leather for saddle and tack for his horse, Missy. He loved to cook and passed down many family recipes to his children and grandchildren (burritos will never taste the same).

He is survived by his children, five daughters, Florence Grudniewski, Phoenix, AZ; Patricia (Jack) Hauser, Hillsboro, OR; Josephine (Richard) Grudniewski, Las Vegas, NV; LaVada (Thomas) Goergen, Box Elder, SD; Christine Arguello, Las Vegas, NV; one son Daniel Arguello, Rapid City, SD; 14 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren; three sisters, Josephine Reber, Rapid City; Lafida McCauley, Sam Manuel, AZ; Juanita Arguello, Rapid City, SD and one brother, Jesse Arguello, Black Hawk, SD. He is preceded in death by his loving wife Pauline Arguello, a daughter Anita Arguello, a son John Arguello, granddaughter Leah Arguello, his parents Jose and Matilde Arguello, a brother Freddy Arguello and three sisters, Teresa Valdez, Ruth Duran and Erma Coffee.