Wayne Martin Torper

Wayne M. Torper, age 87, Watertown, formerly of the Vienna/Willow Lake area, died in the Prairie Lakes Hospital at Watertown on Tuesday night, July 21, 2020.

Memorial Graveside Services will be held in the Good Hope Lutheran Cemetery north of Willow Lake at 2PM on Saturday, September 5, 2020, with Reverend Bryan Taffe officiating.   Strict CDC guidelines will be followed. Masks are not required however they are strongly recommended.

Wayne Martin Torper was born on May 1, 1933, at the family farm near Willow Lake, the son of Martin and Irene (Engel) Torper.  He attended the Olson #24 rural school through the 8 ^th grade and then graduated from Willow Lake High School in 1951.  During high school he played football.

Wayne was baptized and confirmed at the Good Hope Lutheran Church.  On October 4, 1969, he married Marilyn Fedt at the Garfield Lutheran Church rural Bryant.  To this union two children were born, Pamela and Monty.  He lived his entire life on the farm- the farm in which his grandfather homesteaded.  Due to declining health, they moved to the Hi-Rise Apartments in Watertown six years ago.

Over the years, in addition to taking over the farm at age 16 due to his father's illness, he worked at the packing plant in Huron, hauled gravel, picked potatoes, and at North Western Gas Line.

At the time of his death, he was the longest living member of the Good Hope Lutheran Church, even serving on the Church Council several years. Wayne helped with the start of the Clark Rural Water System and also served on that board for many years.

Some of his hobbies included going to the car races, motor cycling, reading western novels, and traveling on boat cruises.

Preceded in death by his parents, a brother-in-law, Roger Prouty, and a nephew, Don Prouty.

Survivors include his wife of some 50 years, Marilyn of Watertown, a daughter, Pamela (Ed) Michels of Solon, IA, and a son, Monty (fiancé Sandra Floe) Torper of Elk River, MN; grandchildren, Audrey and Spencer Michels; a sister-in-law, Ludelle Prouty, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Funeral arrangements are announced by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com