Marlo Leroy Froke

Marlo Froke, age 82, Willow Lake, died peacefully with family members at his side on Friday morning, May 17, 2013 in the Avera DeSmet Memorial Hospital of a brief illness. Visitation will be held on Monday, May 20, 2013 from 5-7PM at the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake and will continue on Tuesday morning after 9AM at the Church and continue until service time. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 10:30 AM in the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake with Pastor Lois Aroian officiating. The organist will be Jody Symens with special music by Pam Grensberg and Henry Johnson singing a duet with Eunis Meester as accompanist. Burial with full military honors provided by the Johnny Fonken American Legion Post #113 of Willow Lake and the South Dakota Air Army Honor Details Team will be in the Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. The honorary casketbearers will be his great-grandchildren, Charlie, Cole, Wyatt, Shelby, Terrance, James, Dominic, Damon & Dylan. Active casketbearers will be Travis, Troy, Todd, Randy & Ronnie Froke, Dan Kannegieter & Wes Johnson. He was born Marlo Leroy Froke on January 20 1931 near Naples, the son of Charles and Wilma (Babler) Froke. He attended country school in the Vienna-Naples area through the eighth grade. In 1952 he was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War and served his country honorably until being discharged in 1954. Marlo was the last surviving member of his Squadron. On September 11 of 1955 he was united in marriage to Adele Heitland at the Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake. The couple lived and farm north of Willow Lake until moving into town in 1978 into a home he built with Wayne Tellinghuisen. After moving into town, Marlo began doing carpentry work. He was active in his Church, serving as elder, deacon and also as secretary-treasurer of the Sunday School. In the community he served on the Lake Township, Weed Control and Soil Conservation Boards. He also was a member of the Johnny-Fonken American Legion Post #113 of Willow Lake. In his free time he enjoyed fishing, taking care of gardening and yard work, traveling extensively and spending time with his family. He will long be remembered by many for his enjoyment of woodworking, especially the wood motorcycles for the great-grandchildren. In 2003, he received his honorary high school diploma from the Willow Lake School District, something he was very proud of. Preceding him in death were his parents, brothers, Curtis and Melford and brothers-in-law, Bill Grimm, Dick Glanzer and Wayne Benson. Grateful for having shared his life is his wife Adele, sons, Nordean (Val) Froke, Nolan (Deb) Froke and Norlan (Marcie) Froke all of Willow Lake, 7 grandchildren, Travis (Jessica), Troy (fiance Emily), Todd (Sandi), Jenica (Wes), Jena Lee (Dan), Randy (Sara) and Ronnie; 9 great-grandchildren, Charlie, Cole, Wyatt, Shelby, Terrance, James, Dominic, Damon & Dylan, 5 step grandchildren, 15 step great-grandchildren; siblings, Harold (Karleen) Froke of Madison, Betty Grimm of Willow Lake, Cleo Glanzer of Miller and Wanda Benson of Brandon. He also leaves sisters-in-law, Thelma Froke of Brandon and Phyllis Froke of Watertown. Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com