Maurice Wika

Maurice Wika, age 92, Watertown, died in a Watertown hospital early Sunday morning, April 5, 2009. Funeral services will be Thursday, April 9, 2009 at 10AM in the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer at Watertown with the Reverend Tom Christenson and Reverned Sam Hatlestad officiating. Don Bohn will have remarks. Music will be provided by Marian Riddle as organist, Chris Thue and Robbyn Givens as soloists and congregational singing. Burial with military honors by the Codington County American Legion Post #17 will follow in the Mt. Hope Cemetery at Watertown. Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 6-8 PM at the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer Chapel at Watertown and 1 hour preceding services at the Church on Thursday. Maurice F. Wika, son of Nels and Lydia (Wee) Wika was born on January 11, 1917 on a farm in Clark County, South Dakota. He was the 4th oldest of 12 children. He attended Garfield Township Grade School (a one-room school) through the 8th grade and graduated from Clark High School in May of 1935. He earned a full scholarship in Track to Yankton College at Yankton, SD. While in high school he won the state championship in the 440 yd. dash, a record held for many, many years at Clark. While in college he attended the Drake Replays twice and was a member of the Boys Glee Club in high school and college. He worked and lived at the Yankton College Power Plant all during college. He also won a state championship in music as a baritone during high school. He was captain of the track team in high school and college. He graduated in 1939 from Yankton College with a degree in Social Studies with a minor in mathematics, English, coaching and commercial studies. After graduation, he attended Nettleton College summer school for additional business courses and accepted a teaching/coaching position at Onida High School, Onida, SD. in 1939 where he taught commercial and coached all sports. His football team went undefeated during his last year in Onida in 1941. On January 30, 1942 he married Norma Rumrill at Pierre, SD. To this union 3 children were born, Judith, Marcine and James. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on September 29, 1942 at the rank of Private. In February of 1943 he was sent to Officers School at Camp Davis, NC and graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant on April 8, 1943. He was then stationed at various camps in Texas until the summer of 1944 when his unit was sent to Europe to fight in WWII. He was a member of the 131st Triple A Gun Battalion. This was anti-aircraft artillery in the European Theatre of Operations. After the war ended, he was transferred to Austria, stationed at Berchesgaarten, where the unit conducted tours of Hitlers fortress, the Eagles Nest, where you could see four countries from. His unit was then sent to Munich, Germany, for training to go direct to Asian Theatre, but the war ended before his unit was shipped out. He returned to the United States in December of 1945. He was honorably discharged from the Army as a Captain on January 6, 1946. He returned to Onida to complete the second semester of teaching and then moved to DeSmet, SD in May of 1946 and accepted a teaching/coaching position. He coached basketball, football and track until September of 1950 when his National Guard Unit was activated during the Korean Conflict. He has helped organize the National Guard Unit in DeSmet and commanded the unit there until September of 1950. This Guard unit was the 2nd Battalion of the 196th Regimental Combat Team. He trained at Camp Carson, Colorado Springs, CO until May of 1951 when he was transferred to Post Headquarters, Camp McCoy, WI. In October of 1951 he was released from active duty and returned to Onida. On December 3, 1951 he began his career as an insurance agent with The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the US. In March of 1952 he moved to DeSmet and lived there until May of 1988 at which time he moved to Watertown. His marriage to Norma ended in a divorce and later he married Mary Margaret (Dasovich) Colwell on December 19, 1990 and they made their home in Watertown. While in DeSmet he was very active in the community. In the mid-70s he was elected Mayor of DeSmet for a three-year term. He also was Chairman of the Lighted Field Committee and instrumental in building the football, baseball and track fields. He also was Chairman of the Hospital Board when the DeSmet Memorial Hospital was built in 1958-1959. He served as President of the Chamber of Commerce for two terms, was a member of the American Lutheran Church, a past member of the Masonic Lodge and a continuous member of the American Legion since 1946. He was a founding member of the DeSmet Kiwanis Club, Chairman of the Old Settlers Day twice, and President of the School Board. He was a member of the Gospel Four Mens Quartette from 1974 until 1988 and sang lead tenor with the group, and served as their Business Manager. He was the play-by-play announcer at DeSmet High School football games for 20 years and was the timekeeper at high school basketball games for 20 years also. He also was one of the founding members of the Kingsbury County Country Club, was an avid golfer and fisherman. He enjoyed hunting and many years of fishing with his wife Mary at the Missouri River. Maurice retired from The Equitable in December of 1999 after 48 years with the company. He and his wife Mary, continued to live in Watertown until his death. Survivors include his wife Mary of Watertown, children, Judy Kaye (Arden) Rapp of Pierre, SD, Marcine Marie Wiese of Bloomington, MN and James Maurice (Kathy) Wika of Spearfish, SD; two step-children, Perry (Deborah) Colwell of Plymouth, MN and Catherine (Denis) Borah of Sioux Falls, 4 half-siblings, Joyce Thies of Ames, IA, Lois (Stan) Hankins of Albert Lea, MN, Sylvia Davis of Los Angeles, CA, and Glenn (Cindy) Wika of Sioux Falls, ten grandchildren, 1 step-grandchild & 14 great-grandchildren and 2 sisters-in-law, Marbeth and Darlene Wika, both of Clark. Preceding him in death were his parents, siblings, Mildred, Orva, Normal, Nora, Emmett, Alvin and Leroy. Arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com