Keith Warkenthien

Keith O. Warkenthien, age 72, Watertown, died in the Prairie Lakes Hospital early Christmas Day morning, December 25, 2008.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 1PM in the Family Worship Center, Foursquare Church, at Watertown with the Reverend Pam Gaikowski officiating. Burial will follow in the Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. Music will be provided by Anita Bogue as pianist with David Warkenthien and Kristi Noemsinging. Casketbearers will be Mike and Jim Woodland, Doug LaMont, Ryan, Dave and Curt Warkenthien, Terry Kluess and Ron Wormke.

Visitation will be held on Monday from 4-6 PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and after 11:30 AM at the Church in Watertown on Tuesday.

He was born on September 10, 1936 on the family farm near Willow Lake, SD to Alfred and Mabel (Trevithick) Warkenthien. He attended country school close to the family farm, one year of high school in Clark and then was a 1954 graduate of Willow Lake High School. He served in the South Dakota National Guard as a cook.

On September 2, 1962 he was united in marriage to Adyln Mae Schlender at Bryant. They were members of Grace Lutheran Church at Willow Lake. The couple lived and farmed near Willow Lake until her death in 1978. For a short time he was married to Barbara (Becker) Gibson. He continued living there until selling the farm in 1982 and moving to Watertown. While living there, he worked at United Building Center, Jenkins Methodist Home and currently had been working at Wal-Mart as a greeter. He also worked for various people in Watertown shoveling snow and mowing lawns.

Some of his favorite pastimes included fishing and spending time with the grandchildren. Keith will long be remembered by many of the Warkenthien cousins as "Santa" at the family Christmas gatherings.

Grateful for having shared his life is his son, Scott of Watertown, three grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, siblings, Marivonne Bastian of Clark, Sharon (Roger) LaMont of Carpenter, Delwyn (Carol) Warkenthien of Lake Poinsett, Janice (Rev. Gary) Kangas of Duluth, MN and Marlin (Cindy) Warkenthien of Willow Lake. He also leaves a sister-in-law, Carolyn (Bob) Harding of Clark.

Preceding him in death were his parents, his wife Adyln, a daughter, Sheila Rae in 1970, a brother, Darrel Warkenthien, 2 siblings in infancy, Vincent and Delores, brothers-in-law, Bob Woodland and Derald "Buzz" Bastian, sister-in-law, Shryl (McPeek) Warkenthien.