Algot Holmstrom

Algot M. Holmstrom, Retired First Sergeant, 99, formerly of Clark, died June 19, 2018 in Gilbert, AZ where he resided. Memorial Services will be held Saturday morning, August 11, 2018 at 11:00 AM at the St. Paul Lutheran Church of Clark with Reverend Mindy Ehrke officiating. Dorothy Fuller will be the organist. Military honors will be presented by the US Army National Military Honor Guard and the Clark American Legion Honor Guard. Following a luncheon, burial will be at the East Sinai Lutheran Cemetery near Sinai, SD.

Algot M. Holmstrom was born May 2, 1919 to Carl and Anna (Larson) Holmstrom in Crooks, SD. He grew up in Minnehaha County. The family moved to a farm west of Baltic. He enlisted into the US Army in 1941 as a cook.  He served in Sydney, Australia, the Philippines and from his ship, he saw the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1942. After leaving the US Army, he joined the National Guards where he served in California and South Dakota.  He retired in 1979 at the rank of First Sergeant. He was serving in the California National Guard in 1965 when the Watts Riots happened and in the South Dakota National Guard when the 1972 Rapid City flood occurred.

He married Mildred Almira Quam on September 6, 1950 in Sioux Falls. Later he purchased the farm south of Clark in Darlington Township where the silo still stands with his name on it.  They had 3 sons, Michael Algot, Daniel Carl, and Jack Algot.

They moved to Highland, CA in 1964 where he worked in San Bernardino, CA at Victoria Guernsey and Milk Factory. They returned in 1972 to his farm south of Clark to be supervisor at the Clark Potato Factory of the midnight shift.  He worked for the Agricultural Conservation Office planting trees for several year and milked and raised registered Holstein cattle on his farm.  He was known to bale thousands of small square bales in the summers.

After Mildred passed away in 2001, Algot became a big gardener and was a member of the weekend Farmer's Market in Watertown.  For years he planted and harvested around 3 to 5 acre garden plots. He worked as a Field House Supervisor where he met his second wife Sue Bell Steward and they married in Sioux Falls in August 2004.  They then moved to Yazoo, MS. Sue passed away in February 2013. After he death, he moved to Gilbert, AZ where 2 of his sons lived. He lived with his son Jack until he became ill this spring.

Algot served on many boards: St. Paul Lutheran Church, Darlington Township, Darlington School Board, and was a member and served as officer of the VFW and Clark American Legion. He called bingo for many years for the VFW and the Legion. He was known for cooking lutefisk supper at the St. Paul Lutheran Church for many years. He served as a Sunday School teacher and Council member for the church.

Grateful to have shared his life are his sons, Daniel of Clark and Jack of Gilbert, AZ; grandchildren, Marlene (Shaun) Stevenson, Jeannie (David) Trichel, Michael Algot (Christy) Holmstrom, Jeff Holmstrom, Ray Holmstrom, Christopher Holmstrom, Lacey (Austin) Taylor; great-grandchildren, Ashley, D'Angelo, Darious, Marcello, Marco, Milan, Michael Julius, Wyatt, Clarsie, Mia, Jordan, Demeious, Jasmine, Parker, and Remington. He also leaves 2 great-great grandson, Kyler and Elijah. Also surviving are 2 daughters-in-law, Martha and Sylvia Holmstrom, and many nieces and nephews and a host of friends.

Welcoming Algot to his Heavenly Home were his wives, Mildred and Sue, a son Michael Algot and his siblings, Ed, Pearl, Prudence, Gottfried, Ruth, Ebba, Hannah, Leonard, and Jane.

The Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family where there is an on –line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com