Roger Quentin Warkenthien

Roger Warkenthien, age 69, rural Clark, died at his home late Monday, August 6, 2012 of an apparent heart attack. Visitation will be held Saturday, August 11, 2012 from 5-7 pm at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and will continue after noon at the church on Sunday. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, August 12 2012 at 1:00 pm at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clark with Reverend Robin Schaunaman officiating. Dorothy Fuller will be providing the organ music along with congregational singing. Burial will follow at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Clark. The active casketbearers will be Mark McHenry, Larry McHenry, Eric Larson, Steven Larson, Weston Kramp, and Tanner Kramp. All other nieces and nephews are honorary casketbearers. Roger Quentin Warkenthien was born on October 19, 1942 on the family farm northwest of Willow Lake, SD to Harry and Martha (Waldow) Warkenthien. He started school at a country school near the family farm and later graduated from Willow Lake High school in 1960. After graduation he farmed with his brothers on the family farm. He also enlisted in the National Guard for six years. He married Donette Wika of Clark on October 16, 1965 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clark. The couple lived at the Warkenthien farm until 1970 when they moved northwest of Clark. In 1980, they purchased their home on the farm located northeast of Clark. Over the years he raised many bulls and was very proud of his herd. Besides farming, he drove school bus for Clark and thoroughly enjoyed driving the kids to various sporting events. In 1994, he was disabled in a farm accident on the Warkenthien farm near Willow Lake and had been confined to a wheel chair. Even though his disability confined him to the chair, he still was very active and acquired many new hobbies. He enjoyed working with wood and antler projects like bowls, pens, letter openers, and kaleidoscopes. He started gardening and enjoyed his harvests. He always loved dogs and had one by his side. Most recently, he was able to really enjoy getting to meet and spend time with a great granddaughter, Braelynn and his grandson, Quentin. Since his accident he worked from home for Newava, a company from Watertown, SD, assembling wires for electrical harness production. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clark where he enjoyed ushering before his accident. Preceding him in death were his parents, his in-laws, a grandson, Tyler, a nephew, Jimmy, and siblings, Martin, Marvin, Violet, and Fern, and a brother-in-law, Charles McHenry. Grateful for having shared in his life is his wife Donette of Clark, daughters, Maria (Todd) Kendle of Crooks, SD and Amy (Mark) Ranschau of Merrill, IA, 3 grandchildren, Brittney, Quentin, and Jeremy, a great-granddaughter, Braelynn and siblings, Donald (Helen) Warkenthien of Willow Lake, Kathleen McHenry of Clark, Alma (Robert) Bauman of Clark and Wilma (Robert) Vanderlinden of Sheldon, IA. He also leaves 3 sisters (in-law) and their families and an "adopted" daughter, Toy Schaefers. Funeral arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home at Clark. There is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com