Obituary of Larry O'Malley

Larry O'Malley, age 88 of Yankton passed away on Sunday, November 2, 2014 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM, Friday, November 7, 2014 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Yankton with Rev. Mark Lichter officiating. Visitations will begin at 5 PM, Thursday, November 6, 2014 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home and Crematory, Yankton with a 7 PM rosary followed by a 7:30 PM Scripture Service. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. A private family burial of Larry's cremated remains will be in the Yankton Cemetery with military graveside rites by the Ernest Bowyer VFW Post #791 Honor Guard. Larry was born July 16, 1926 in Montrose, SD to John (Happy Jack) and Eldora (Cone) O'Malley. The family moved to Yankton in 1927 where Happy became an old time fiddler player on W.N.A.X and Larry went to work there as a staff guitar player when he was in high school. Larry graduated from Yankton High School in 1945. He was drafted and served in the Navy on a hospital ship until 1946. He came home and went back to work at W.N.A.X. where he played with Happy Jack and his old time music until W.N.A.X. stopped broadcasting live music. Larry then went into the restaurant business in 1948 with his parents. The restaurant was called Happy Jack Cozy Inn. In 1950, they built a new restaurant called Happy Jacks Steakhouse. After his parents died, Larry and his two sisters operated the steakhouse until 1990 when they retired. Larry enjoyed traveling, golf and especially boating. He had a cabin cruiser called "Happy Jacks". He is survived by his two sisters, Mary Ann and Betty O'Malley, both of Yankton, SD, nephews, John O'Malley of Phoenix, AZ and Marty O'Malley of Las Vegas, NV, niece, Robyn Stucky, of Yankton, SD, and nephew, Tim O'Malley of Yankton, SD. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Eldora O'Malley, brothers, Jack O'Malley and Shannon O'Malley, sister-in-law, Chris O'Malley and nephew, Jack O'Malley, Jr.