Curtis John Kannegieter

Curtis John "Curt" Kannegieter, age 67, rural Willow Lake, died on Thursday, August 25, 2011, at his home near Willow Lake after a lingering illness. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 10:30 AM in the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church at DeSmet with the Reverend Gregg Frankman celebrating and the Reverend John Short con-celebrating. Music will be presented by Barb Feterl as organist with the congregation singing "How Great Thou Art" and "Be Not Afraid". His daughter Ann will play the piano during communion. Private burial will be in the St. James Catholic Cemetery at Willow Lake. A rosary will be said on Monday evening at 7:15 PM in the St. Michael's Catholic Church at Clark with a prayer service/wake to be held following at 7:30 PM. The Reverend John Short will lead both services. There will be no visitation. The Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family. He was born Curtis John Kannegieter on the family homestead, northwest of Willow Lake on August 12, 1944, the son of Ernest and Sophie (Michalski) Kannegieter. He attended Lake #51 Township school and after the eighth grade, he attended and graduated from Willow Lake High School in 1962. He helped on the family farm until his marriage to Leone Hovde on April 3, 1971. They were married in St. Mary's Catholic Church at Bryant. Curtis also served his country in the National Guard for a time. The couple moved to their current farm, west of Willow Lake, following their marriage where they have lived since. Although Curtis worked for some 20 years as an over the road truck driver, his true passion was farming, he thoroughly enjoyed working the land. Besides his love of the land, he enjoyed countless times of camping and traveling. He enjoyed home improvement so much, he took a class in Watertown on home building and returned to the farm and built a new home for his family. Curtis also did mechanical work and will be long remembered for being a political enthusiast as well as his love of bluegrass & Cajun music and being a connoisseur of BBQ ribs! Preceding him in death were his parents and brothers, Mike and Mervyn Kannegieter. Grateful for having shared his life is his wife Leone of Willow Lake, children, Ann (Daron) Larson of DeSmet and John (Megan) Kannegieter of Aberdeen, 4 grandchildren who were the love of his life, Mitchell, Kate & Eliza Larson and Hazel Kannegieter. He also leaves his brother, Kerwin (Lois) Kannegieter and two aunts, Gloria Miller and Margaret Kannegieter all of Willow Lake. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be directed to the St. Jude Children's Hospital, Habitat for Humanity or your favorite charity. There is an online registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com.