Hayden Monson Obituary

Age - 18

September 12, 2023

Presho, SD

Hayden Monson,18, of Ft. Pierre died as the result of an ATV accident on Saturday, September 9th in Ft. Pierre. A two-day wake will be held starting on Thursday, September 14 at 10:00am at the Ft. Pierre Congregational Church with a prayer service at 7:00pm on Friday September 15. A funeral service will begin at 10:00am on Saturday, September 16th at the Ft. Congregational Church with burial to follow at Scotty Philip Cemetery. There will be a live stream of the services at the Moose Lodge in Ft. Pierre for overflow from the church. View Hayden's funeral hereHayden was born on December 8, 2004 to Joshua and Shannon Monson in Pierre on December 8, 2004. Hayden grew up in Ft. Pierre and attended Stanley County High School, graduating in 2023. He was a well-liked classmate and friend to all, known for his handiness and adventurous spirit. After graduation, he began working at WW Tire as a tire and oil technician and was appreciated for his hard work. He lived his life to the fullest and was always ready to embark on a new journey or take on a new challenge. He was handy, always willing to get work done and always ready to bring a smile to the faces of those around him. He enjoyed working on his car, fishing, hanging out with friends and gaming. He is survived by his parents Joshua and Shannon, and his brother Julian. He is also survived by his grandmothers Nancy Monson and Jeannie Fallis. He is survived by his aunts and uncles, cousins and their families; Thad and Julie Smith, Kylee (JD), Cooper, Beckette Smith; Terry and Sharon Monson, Essence, Sasha, and Bash Monson; Ivan and Sandy Gravatt; Darin and Julie Gravatt; Art and Donna Lafferty, Natasha, Joshua, Trisha, Lakota; Bert C. Lafferty III and April, Anita, Aleese, Lidia; Rocky and Brenda Lafferty; LuAnn Lafferty and Kendrick; Jerri Farmer & family; Bud Fallis & family; Lynn Fallis & family; R2 Fallis & family; and Jamie Fallis & family. He was preceded in death by his grandpas Rodney Monson, Rocky Fallis and Buzzy Lafferty and grandmother Karen Lafferty.

Obituary Source : https://www.isburgfuneralchapels.com/obituaries/Hayden-Monson?obId=28976670#/celebrationWall

Related Obituaries

Rochelle Oakland

Age - 81

December 7, 2023

Rochelle Elaine Wilcox Willert "Rocky" Oakland passed away on Tuesday, December 5th surrounded by family at Highmore Health Care in Highmore SD. A visitation will be held on Monday, December 11th from 5:00pm-7:00pm at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre with a prayer service and rosary starting at 7:00pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00am on Tuesday, December 12th at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pierre. For those unable to attend the services they will be live streamed on this page the day of service. PRAYER SERVICEFUNERAL MASSRochelle was born on September 20, 1942 at Cheyenne Agency, South Dakota on the old Cheyenne River Indian Reservation to Floyd and Katherine (Livermont) Wilcox. Rochelle was the second of eight children. Rochelle and her siblings attended many different schools in the state while her father worked construction. Together with her sisters she attended several grade school years at St. Joseph's Indian School in Chamberlain. During her high school years, she attended school in Murdo, Mitchell and finished at Kadoka. While at Kadoka she and her sister, Jackie, worked at the truck stop and it was there that she met and married Robert Willert December 1960 in Deadwood, SD. To this union two children were born, Bobby and Shana. They made their homes in Kadoka, Winner and Pierre. In March 1992 Rochelle married Michael Oakland and their family grew with Michael's sons, Brett and Brian. Rochelle was active with the children during their grade school years volunteering and attending all of their events she could. She sold Avon products and eventually moved into a career of banking. She worked at many banks in Pierre including First National Bank, First Federal Savings & Loan and BankWest. Prior to her full retirement Rochelle worked at Wal Mart when it opened, hiring many of the first Wal Mart employees. One of Rochelle's greatest loves was sewing. She sewed and altered clothing for 25 years and had a real talent for tailoring garments to fit her customers perfectly. Her next love was reading along with dancing and fishing. Rochelle is survived by her husband Michael, her son Bobby Ray, daughter Shana Kay (Sam) Waters; stepsons; Brett (Julie) Oakland, Brian (Jami) Oakland; grandchildren, Tanner Jon Brunskill, Jaxon Rose Willert, Justin (Avery) Oakland, Carly (Gage) Taylor, Michael L. Oakland. Brothers, Ron (Ella) Wilcox and JR (Robin) Wilcox. Sisters; Cheryl Holvig, Gloria (Gary) Brown, Pat (Don) Phillips. Brothers and sisters-in-laws, Ralph and Louise Oakland; Gene and Sonja Oakland; Paul and Jeanne Oakland; Linda Ekle; Kathy and Gary Sehr; Mary and Sterling Heath; Marsha and Troy Young; Pam and Scott Vongroven and Carol Anderson and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, sister Jaqueline Hoffman, brother Leslie Wilcox, nephews Eric Brown, Richie Hoffman and Chad Holvig. One brother-in-law Norris Ekle. In lieu of flowers memorials can be directed to Countryside Hospice and PAWS.Show more

Forrest Wixon

Age - 88

December 6, 2023

Forrest D. Wixon passed away on December 4th, 2023 at the age of 88 years old in Pierre SD. Memorial visitation will be on Sunday, December 10th from 4:00 until 6:00pm CST, with a prayer service and time of sharing beginning at 6:00pm at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre. His memorial service will be on Monday, December 11th at 11:00am CST at Faith Lutheran Church in Pierre. His graveside service will follow at 3:00pm MST at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD. Memorials will be given to the Civil Air Patrol. Memorials and condolences can be mailed to the family at: 4137 Augusta Drive, Rapid City, SD 57703. He was born on May 8th, 1935 in Tracy, Minnesota to Forrest and Bertha Wixon, the oldest of 7 children. At the young age of 7, he developed a love for flying after watching a WWI aircraft fly over the family farm. His passion for flying continued until he had his first flight lesson in an AT-6 in 1954 as part of the ROTC at South Dakota State University, eventually securing a pilot position in the South Dakota Air National Guard. He received his commission and silver wings in September 1957. That same year, he met a beautiful, young lady by the name of Alice Kepler at a roller-skating rink in Slayton, Minnesota. They both fell in love and were married in September of 1958. Forrest graduated from South Dakota State University in 1964 with a degree in Civil Engineering, taking a job with the South Dakota Department of Transportation as a Civil Engineer. The family moved to Pierre, SD where they raised their five children. Forrest worked for the South Dakota Department of Transportation for over 30 years as well as 32 years of honorable service with both the South Dakota Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve where he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was a dedicated husband and father, always ensuring that his family would be well taken care of and loved. Forrest enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, motorcycle riding, target shooting, and of course flying as he continued to fly until the age of 83. He was inducted into the SD Aviation Hall of Fame and also received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50+ years of safe flying operations. He taught over 130 students how to fly and earn their private pilot license. After being blessed with a life of love and adventure with Alice, she passed away in 2013 after 55 years of marriage. God evidently decided that Forrest should not be alone, and brought a wonderful woman into his life, Shirleen Fossum. They were married in 2014 and have enjoyed a life of love, travel and adventure together. He is survived by his wife Shirleen Wixon, five children, Dawn (Ed) Cronin, Denise (Maloy) Loof, Mark (Debra) Wixon, Deborah (Bob) Green, Cynthia (Lance) Frohling; siblings Ronald Wixon, Terry (Randi) Wixon, Diedre (Ron) Garrels, Deanna (Doug) Chapman, Daryl (Mike) Johnson; and grandchildren Patrick (Elizabeth) Cronin, Michael Cronin, Meaghan Cronin, Denai (Joshua) Kjenstad, Danessa Likness, Devin Likness, Moriah Wixon, Levi Wixon, Amanda (Jinhyuk) Choi, Matthew (Dagne) Green, Jared Loecker, and Isabelle Loecker; and great grandchildren Brigid, Lena and Rose Cronin, and Adelaide and Eloise Kjenstad. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Alice Kepler, his brother Carroll Wixon, and sister-in-law Barb Wixon.Show more

Jill Wellhouse

Age - 74

November 11, 2023

Jill Wellhouse,74 was called home to the Lord surrounded by her family on November 9, 2023 at her home in Pierre. The family will greet visitors from 5:00pm-6:00pm on Friday December 1 at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, December 2 at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pierre with burial at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD. CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STREAMJill was Born on February 12, 1949, to Dr. Frank and Alberta Denton in Pierre, South Dakota. Jill attended school at Pierre Riggs High School, where she graduated in 1967 and furthered her education at South Dakota State University. After college Jill returned to Pierre where she married John Wellhouse in 1968. She worked at River Park Treatment Center, Charles Poches Law Offices, the Department of Social Services, and the South Dakota State Senate. In her role at the Department of Social Services, Jill was instrumental in developing the Catastrophic County Poor Relief Program, providing much-needed assistance to those facing catastrophic health care expenses. Her dedication to maintaining the privacy of health care records led to her appointment as the Department's first HIPPA Privacy Officer. Her tireless service, integrity, professionalism, and leadership were recognized by Governor M. Michael Rounds, who declared March 19, 2009, as Jill Wellhouse Day. She served on the St. Mary's Hospital Advisory Board, was a founding member of the Ss. Peter and Paul Folk Group, and a member of the South Madison Street Blues Group and PEO Chapter BJ. Jill Wellhouse was a woman of faith, her legacy of love, selflessness, and intelligence will be remembered by all who knew her. Jill Wellhouse, a child of God, a servant of the community, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and sister, has returned to the arms of the Lord. Let her spirit, her legacy, and her love forever remain in our hearts. Jill is survived by her husband John, her children, Jonette (Craig) Herman and John Wellhouse II. Her grandsons, Cole Herman, Sawyer Wellhouse, and Griffin Wellhouse, were the apples of her eye, and she cherished every moment spent with them. Jill was also a beloved sister to Mary (Richard) Carter, Linda (Chuck) Denton-Rosing, Julie (Bill) Denton-Saltsman, Mike (Jean) Denton, and Frank (Susan) Denton. Memorials can be made to the Pierre Education Foundation, Lutheran Memorial Church or Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church.Show more

Craig Smith

Age - 89

November 3, 2023

CRAIG D. SMITH, 89, passed away on October 31, 2023, in Pierre, SD at Avera St. Mary's with his wife and family by his side. A visitation will be held from 5:00pm-7:00pm on Sunday, November 5 at Isburg Funeral Chapel with a prayer service starting at 7:00pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00am on Monday, November 6 at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church with burial at Calvary Cemetery in Pierre. For those unable to attend the services they will be live streamed on this page the day of the service. CLICK HERE TO VIEW LIVE STREAMCraig was born on October 22,1934 in Park Falls, WI, the son of Tell and Mary (Organist) Smith. While growing up his family lived in Park Falls and Ashland WI, as well as Yale and Plankinton, SD. He graduated from Kennebec High School in 1952. He was a very good athlete in baseball and basketball, scoring 34 points in one game. Craig also represented the school at Boy's State. He worked for the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) after high school graduation while attending South Dakota State University on the quarter system. He graduated in 1960 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering with no school debt. He moved to Pierre in 1960 and started working for SDDOT Highways in the Road Way Design Section. In June of 1960, Craig asked a girl who was new in Pierre if she would like to attend a baseball game at Four Corners. Her name was Dorothy Varilek. She agreed and went to watch him play. He later became her softball coach. On August 5th, 1961, Dorothy and Craig joined in Holy Matrimony. They celebrated 62 years of marriage in 2023. He always called her the very pretty, smart, and special Dorothy. His first duty with SDDOT was the responsibility for design of portion of the Interstate highway and design of sections of highways in certain cities. Craig obtained his Professional Engineer's License by examination in 1970. After 18 years with SDDOT Design, Craig accepted the position of Airport Engineer with the Department of Aeronautics, SDDOT. He was responsible for approval of all airport construction plans within the state of South Dakota. Craig had to review and approve all plans submitted by consultant engineers prior to submittal for advertising and construction. Craig also reviewed, for approval, the project after construction to ensure the project was constructed as per plans. Craig was not afraid to require the project contractor to make any changes in the construction to meet the requirement as per plans. His attention to detail and ethics earned Craig a sterling reputation that endures to this day. He was pleased to have worked with Consultant Engineers, FAA officials, and contractors to ensure projects were constructed as per plans which were an asset to the Airport Owners. Craig was the President of the Regional Engineering Society, a member of the Conference for Bituminous Construction in Highways. He received the Knight of the Year Award from the Knights of Columbus in 2003. This is an honored award as only one Knight is chosen statewide. Craig was a member of Engine Company #2 of the Pierre Volunteer Fire Department and obtained his pilot's license prior to an airplane crash in 1977, in which he was injured, along with pilot Howard Ice, and co-workers Dale Russell and Dean Gretschman. It slowed him down but did not stop him from enjoying an active life. Craig and 5 others were responsible for getting Little League Baseball started in Pierre, South Dakota. Craig also was responsible for starting a Boy Scout Troup and Basketball team for 8th grade boys at St. Peter & Paul's Church. He enjoyed coaching as much as playing. He coached baseball, softball, and basketball. Craig also enjoyed introducing others to the game of golf. He and Dorothy travelled South Dakota with a group of friends, playing golf and enjoying life. Craig had not one, but two, holes-in-one at Hillsview golf course. For years, Craig was the first person to buy a season pass to Hillsview. His greatest treasures in life were his wife Dorothy, daughter Lisa (Darren) Larson, sons Brian (Kim), Jeff (Jamie), and Kevin (Lonna), 12 grandchildren, and three great-grandsons. He was able to hunt with his sons and watch his daughter play golf from 8th grade thru high school. This was just a few of the many events Craig and wife Dorothy were able to watch involving their sons and daughter and grandchildren. Craig was preceded in death by his parents Mary and Tell, his sisters Karen, Gloria, Shirley, and Lacarda and brothers David, James, and John.Show more

Dwight Lamb

Age - 75

October 28, 2023

Dwight Lamb, 75, of Presho, SD died Monday, October 23, 2023 at White Lake Nursing Home in White Lake, SD. Funeral service will be held on Thursday, November 2 at 2:00pm at the Zion Lutheran Church in Presho with a visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Presho City Cemetery. Show more

Betty Winkler

Age - 85

October 25, 2023

Elizabeth "Betty" Marie Winkler, 85, of Pierre, SD, went to be in the arms of Jesus on October 20, 2023. Betty's funeral service 10:30am on Friday, October 27, 2023 at New Life Church, with burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery all in Pierre. Show more

Shawn Iversen

Age - 62

September 28, 2023

Shawn Iversen, 62, passed away unexpectedly Friday, September 15, 2023, in Youngstown Arizona, while temporarily staying with family, awaiting his new home with his best friend Stella, his dog. Shawn referred to her as, "Stelly" and they were the perfect duo. There will be a memorial service held at 3:00pm, on Saturday, October 7th in Murdo at the Sportsman's Club followed by a meal at 5:00pm. The burial will be held at 9:30am on Monday, October 9th at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. For those unable to attend the services they will be live streamed in the link below. CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STREAMShawn Michael Iversen was born in Long Beach, California on October 25, 1960, to Curtis "Toby" Ole and Earlene Jospehine (Wedean) Iversen while Toby was serving in the US Navy. (USN)In October 1962, brother Brett Wedean Iversen joined the family. The two boys were partners from the beginning, skipping school and having lots of "good fun. " Their early years were spent back home in South Dakota living in Rapid City, Murdo and Okaton around family. The Wedean Ranch south of Okaton was a special place for them; this included spending many hours in the sky with their Grandpa Earl Wedean flying himself and teaching Shawn how to fly. Summers were spent in the prairie fields windrowing, horseback riding and motorcycle riding, which Shawn considered very special times in his life. Simply put, Shawn adored his "Gramps. "In June 1973, Earlene married Richard Hullinger and the boys were blessed with a stepfather. Many summers were spent by Shawn working at the Apco Filling Station in Murdo and South Dakota's Original 1880 Town located near Belvidere along Interstate 90. Brother Brett, cousins Joel and Foster Iversen and Dave Bartels were known to take turns sitting on the roof of the Apco station at 1880 Town, watching for Richard coming down the interstate so they could "get busy. "Shawn spent most of his school years in Murdo and graduated from Jones County High School (JCHS) in May 1979. It is said that then JCHS Superintendent Jack Donahue knew that if Shawn was wearing his cutback boots to school, he was likely planning fun with friends rather than being in school! Shortly after high school graduation, he joined the United States Marine Corp (USMC) stationed at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California, Shawn was a proud member of the USMC; he joined the bull riding club, and this became a highlight of his life. From the USMC, Shawn focused on a few different careers: welding and certified nurse assistant namely. Shawn shined at both of these opportunities and became a father to Chelcee Diane Iversen in 1984 and Lacey Earlene Iversen in 1992. During his lifetime, Shawn lived in Arizona, Wyoming and South Dakota; yet he found himself always moving closer to family. Shawn's priority was always for family including his parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews and of course his lifelong friends. Shawn had a heart of gold and will be remembered for his soft soul, smile and laugh. Shawn enjoyed fishing, dancing, wild horse races and just a plain good old time with friends. Throughout his life he lived with patience, kindness, grace and forgiveness. His good morning calls, FaceTime calls, text messages, and I love you's will be greatly missed. Shawn was preceded in death by two infant sons Jacob & Spencer Iversen, paternal grandparents Loren "Buster" and Margaret "Peggy" Iversen, maternal grandparents Earl and Dorothy Wedean, and mother Earlene Hullinger. Shawn leaves behind: daughter Lacey (Kyle) Behl and children Aria, Becket, Jax & Karter of Yelm, WA, daughter Chelcee (Cordell) Wickstrand and children Cadence, Anden, Taytum & Aniston of Tooele, UT, stepdaughter Jessica (Christian) Livesay and children Junibell, Johnathon & Lucas of Hot Springs, SD. Father Toby (Ivetta) Iversen of Wickenburg, AZ, siblings Brett Iversen of Las Vegas, NV, Kerri Iversen of Youngstown, AZ, Curtis (Ann) Iversen of Caldwell, ID, Carol (Dwayne) Martin of Wickenburg, AZ, stepfather Richard Hullinger of Murdo, SD, siblings Amy (Cory) Rust of Rapid City, SD and Sallie (Tom) Cuny, of Piedmont, SD as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces & nephews he adored. Shawn truly loved his people, and his memories will live on forever. In Shawn's memory, memorials will be given to the Rapid City, SD chapter of Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF), Inc. PHWFF is a local non-profit that guides Veterans in-need of recovery through fly fishing, mentoring and friendships.Show more

Sherman Monroe Jr

Age - 93

September 9, 2023

Sherman Monroe Jr, passed away peacefully on August 23, 2023. A memorial service will be held at 10:30am on Saturday, September 16 at the First Congregational United Church of Christ. Burial will take place at 1:00pm,mst on Friday, September 15 at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD. CLICK TO VIEW LIVESTREAMHe was born to Sherman William Monroe Sr. and Francis Burnette on July 31, 1930 in Fairfax, SD. He is survived by his wife Vivian, his brother Jim (Dorothy) his sisters Dorla Fischer(deceased Bill), Dorothy Anderson (deceased Norm) and Phyliss Rohe (deceased Charlie), his daughter Molly (Jim Kridel and family), grandkids: Charlotte Andres (Shawn and family), John Paine (Jessica and family), Billy Monroe (Brianne and family), his step-daughter Kris Sailer (Craig and family) and step-son Dave Lowenstein (Jana and family), many nieces and nephews, friends and colleagues. He is preceded in death by his first wife Rowna, his daughter Meloni, brothers Robert (Gloria), Ken (Fern) and Richard (Joanne). After growing up on the farm in Fairfax with four brothers and three sisters, Sherman entered the military, attended Huron State College on a basketball scholarship and graduated with a Master's in Education and worked in the Civil Service and sold World Book Encyclopedia. This was quite an accomplishment since he was both dyslectic and color blind. His farmhouse schoolteacher called it a "backwards eye", and she spent many hours helping him learn to read and do math. Early in his career, he taught school and sports, became the number one World Book Encyclopedia Salesmen in the US and was school Superintended in Harold SD, and ultimately became school Superintendent in Ft. Pierre SD, from which he retired. However, some of Sherm's best memories are from his time in the service. He entered the military on September 21, 1951 and was sent to the 5th Infantry Division and Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, in Pennsylvania where he did his training. Many of his fellow platoon were sent to Korea, but Sherm was held back to train the next group of men coming in, after which, he got new orders to go to Fort Eustis, Virginia where he and eight others were surveyors and map makers. This position got him moved to Washington D. C. where he received Secret Clearance and worked in the Pentagon, then was given a special assignment - Exercise Desert Rock - in Nevada on April 15, 1953. Purpose of the assignment "A" Bomb Test, Top Secret. The "A" Bomb test, In his words, "We went into a long trench four feet deep with plenty of room. We were a nervous group of GI's waiting for the Test time. Countdown time began. We huddled down as low as we could get with hands over our eyes. Bomb goes off, blinding light, loud explosion and debris flying over us. The ground actually shook us. It was scary. Some of us had Geiger counters. I had one and was asked to go as close as possible to ground zero. The distance from the trenches to ground zero was one - two miles. Being young my natural instinct was to get as close as possible. We were then called back to the trucks where we were swept off with brooms. Geiger counters were run over us to check if there was any radiation left on us. On August 22, 1953 I requested a discharge for the purpose of attending college. End of Military. "Because of impact of the radiation of the "A" Bomb tests, the veterans involved have become known as "Atomic Veterans". To learn more about these brave men go to: https://www. retroreport. org/video/atomic-vets/After this short military career, he was teaching in Arlington, SD when he got a letter from Job Service. They were looking for Recreation Directors to work on military bases. He was hired immediately and he requested to go to Incirlike Air Base in Adana, Turkey. The next step was to get approval from his wife Rowna and their two year old daughter Meloni. They agreed. His position was to design athletic programs for airmen and dependents as well as integrated Turkish activities. The whole family loved this assignment. During his time at Incirlike Air Base, he became good friends with Gary Powers who worked with Sherm on the athletic programs. Gary was shot down on May 1, 1960 by the Soviet Air Defense Forces while he was performing photographic aerial reconnaissance deep into Soviet Territory. Powers parachuted safely and was captured. Powers was released during a prison exchange for Soviet officer Rudolf Abel. (learn more about Gary Powers, in the movie Bridge of Spies)Sherman loved golf and was a member of the Pink Flag group at Hillview Golf Course in Pierre, an avid pool player at Lariat Lanes with his friends and was a founding member of the Jolly Boys, a group of high school friends who met once a year in Fairfax, SD, for fun and telling old stories for the 100th time!Sherman will be remembered for his gift of making lifelong friends, being a great family man and always having a piece of advice. Some of the sayings his family treasures most are "you can go broke at a sale", "if you reach for the stars, you won't end up with a handful of dirt", "always remember who you are". Sherman, thank you for adding joy and love to our lives. You are missed very much and we will all love you forever. Rest in peace.Show more

Gaylord Sonnenschein

Age - 76

August 8, 2023

Gaylord Lee Sonnenschein, 76, passed away peacefully with his loving wife by his side, on August 3, 2023, at his home in Fort Pierre, South Dakota. Funeral service will be 10:30 am on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at Community Bible Church with a visitation starting at 9:30 am. Pastor Chance Sumner will be officiating the services with burial at Riverside Cemetery in Pierre, a luncheon to follow the committal at the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre. For those unable to attend the service it will be live streamed in the link below. CLICK HERE TO VIEW SERVICEGaylord was born on July 30, 1947, in Pierre, to Earl and Bertha (Rohrbauck) Sonnenschein. Gaylord lived a life full of love, service, and dedication to his family and community. Gaylord spent his entire life in Pierre, he was an active member at the First United Methodist Church growing up and later the Wesleyan Church, proudly serving in many ways and he enjoyed singing in the choir. Gaylord graduated from TF Riggs in 1965 where he was a standout athlete participating in football, basketball, baseball, and track. After graduation he went on to attend South Dakota State University, playing both baseball and basketball and he earned his Ag/Econ degree, graduating 1970. During college he served in the South Dakota National Guard. Gaylord was united in marriage to Cathy Strudle on August 15, 1970 at First United Methodist Church in Pierre. After marriage they began their life together on Mission Ridge Road while Gaylord ranched, he loved caring for the cattle. After the drought of 1976, his career then took a turn towards finance, where he excelled as a bank manager at Home Federal. In this role, he was known for his willingness to go the extra mile to help customers and colleagues. After leaving the bank, Gaylord worked for the South Dakota Department of Insurance until his retirement in 2017. Gaylord continued to find joy and peace working the land as a rancher following in his father's footsteps. Gaylord was an avid Vikings fan, being their #1 cheerleader. He may not have been able to griddy but he showed his support by always having a Vikings phone case. Every year he and Cathy would bring the family up to Minneapolis for the Vikings vs Bears game with the several other family friends, who were always cheering for the silly Chicago Bears. They may have been in the nosebleeds of metro dome, but they sure did have a good time cheering SKOL VIKES! He thought he hit the jackpot when his favorite son-in-law, Sam got those swanky seats at the new stadium! His love for the Vikings continued throughout his entire life, even though they let him down more often than not, he was a fan through thick and thin. When not cheering on the Vikings you could find Gaylord out on the golf course, playing golf with the "Good Ol' Boys. " They played many a round at Hillsview. His other favorite courses included Town & Country Club in St. Paul, MN and Sutton Bay in Agar, SD. He always looked forward to his annual trips with his golfing buddies to Arizona and Palm Springs. Gaylord had a love for keeping his car, shoes, and hair in pristine condition. Whenever he visited Tiffany and family in Minnesota, the minute they got their car unloaded, his favorite thing to do was take it to Paradise Car Wash. Who would have thought his green 1997 Chevy ranch pickup, that had more problems than not, would outlive him! Everyone in Pierre knew Gaylord in that pickup and saw him driving his route around town. Gaylord is survived by his wife, Cathy Sonnenschein, and their three children: Tiffany (Sam) Anderson, Taylor (Sarah) Sonnenschein, Tarrah Sonnenschein, special nephew Shane Severyn and his SIX grandsons: Zac Anderson, Max Anderson, Sawyer Sonnenschein, Sutton Sonnenschein, Peter de Hueck, and Franklin de Hueck. His legacy will also continue through his siblings: Judy (Gary) Larson, and Diana (Syd) Stevens and Clayton (Sharon) Sonnenschein. His family will remember him as a loving husband, father and brother who always put others before himself. He was preceded in death by both his parents. Gaylord's impact on his family, friends, and community was profound and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him. In Lieu of flowers, Memorials may be directed to Community Bible Church, Countryside Hospice, PAWS, Hopeless to Homes,or the Pierre Athletic Booster Club.Show more

Find More Obituaries