1923
Gerald
2006
Gerald Oehler
April 10, 1923 — September 21, 2006
Funeral services for Gerald William Oehler, age 83, of Milbank, will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, September 25, 2006, at the Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank. The Reverend James L. Wiese will officiate. Jerry died on Thursday, September 21st, at the Milbank Area Hospital/Avera Health. Family members are asked to meet in the church fellowship hall by 10:00 a.m. Monday to attend services. The organist will be Gail Selgeby and the soloist will be Larry Tietjen. Visitation will be at the Emanuel-Patterson Funeral Home in Milbank on Sunday from 5-7 p.m. Visitation will continue in the church on Monday one hour before services. Pallbearers will be grandchildren: Chad Oehler, Dustin Oehler, Kyra Tietjen, Ty Tietjen, Shane Tietjen, and Tiffany Tschakert. Burial will be in the Milbank City Cemetery.
Gerald was born on April 10, 1923, in Lac qui Parle County, MN, the son of Arthur and Ruth (Schmidt) Oehler. He and his parents lived in Minnesota for one year before moving to South Dakota. Gerald was baptized on May 19, 1923, and confirmed on July 18, 1937, in St. John's Lutheran Church in Alban Township, Grant County, SD. He attended Alban #1 country school through the eighth grade and graduated from Ortonville High School in Ortonville, MN, in 1942. During his high school years he was active in football, basketball, track, music, drama, and Future Farmers of America (FFA). He received the highest award in FFA, the American Farmer degree, in 1942. He was united in marriage to Delores Christian on December 31, 1944, in Milbank. Following marriage, the couple resided in Alban Township where they owned and operated a dairy farm. Jerry retired in 1994.
He was a member of the Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank where he taught Sunday school for several years, sang in the choir, served on several church boards, and served as an usher for sixty plus years.
Gerald was very concerned about water and soil conservation. He received the county conservation award in 1977. Jerry was the first in northeast SD to use strip grazing and was recognized for this innovation in Hoard's Dairyman. He served on the Grant County A.S.C.S. committee for ten years, several of those years as chairman, and on the American Dairy Association Board of SD for twelve years, five of those years as chairman. He also served on the State Veterinary Examining Board for six years, two of those years as vice chairman. Jerry was a 4-H Leader for twelve years. He also served on the local and state Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) Board, the Northeast SD and state Holstein Association as a director, the Community Oil Company Board in Milbank for eleven years, three of those years as chairman, and on Senator Larry Pressler's Agriculture Advisory Board.
He enjoyed hunting, card playing, acquiring collector edition model tractors, and drinking coffee with his friends.
Survivors include his four children: Roger Oehler and wife Mary, Ortonville, MN; Jeanne Tietjen and husband Larry, rural Stockholm, SD; Sheila Tschakert and husband Frank, Florence, SD; and Craig Oehler and wife Lori, Sioux Falls, SD; thirteen grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; two sisters, Muriel Bunting, Owasso, Oklahoma, and Jeannette Ceser and husband Richard, Sun City, AZ; several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son Kevin, and brothers, Donald and Raymond Oehler.
Gerald was born on April 10, 1923, in Lac qui Parle County, MN, the son of Arthur and Ruth (Schmidt) Oehler. He and his parents lived in Minnesota for one year before moving to South Dakota. Gerald was baptized on May 19, 1923, and confirmed on July 18, 1937, in St. John's Lutheran Church in Alban Township, Grant County, SD. He attended Alban #1 country school through the eighth grade and graduated from Ortonville High School in Ortonville, MN, in 1942. During his high school years he was active in football, basketball, track, music, drama, and Future Farmers of America (FFA). He received the highest award in FFA, the American Farmer degree, in 1942. He was united in marriage to Delores Christian on December 31, 1944, in Milbank. Following marriage, the couple resided in Alban Township where they owned and operated a dairy farm. Jerry retired in 1994.
He was a member of the Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank where he taught Sunday school for several years, sang in the choir, served on several church boards, and served as an usher for sixty plus years.
Gerald was very concerned about water and soil conservation. He received the county conservation award in 1977. Jerry was the first in northeast SD to use strip grazing and was recognized for this innovation in Hoard's Dairyman. He served on the Grant County A.S.C.S. committee for ten years, several of those years as chairman, and on the American Dairy Association Board of SD for twelve years, five of those years as chairman. He also served on the State Veterinary Examining Board for six years, two of those years as vice chairman. Jerry was a 4-H Leader for twelve years. He also served on the local and state Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) Board, the Northeast SD and state Holstein Association as a director, the Community Oil Company Board in Milbank for eleven years, three of those years as chairman, and on Senator Larry Pressler's Agriculture Advisory Board.
He enjoyed hunting, card playing, acquiring collector edition model tractors, and drinking coffee with his friends.
Survivors include his four children: Roger Oehler and wife Mary, Ortonville, MN; Jeanne Tietjen and husband Larry, rural Stockholm, SD; Sheila Tschakert and husband Frank, Florence, SD; and Craig Oehler and wife Lori, Sioux Falls, SD; thirteen grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; two sisters, Muriel Bunting, Owasso, Oklahoma, and Jeannette Ceser and husband Richard, Sun City, AZ; several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son Kevin, and brothers, Donald and Raymond Oehler.