Obituary for Bob Faehn
Bob Faehn, age 63 of Watertown, SD passed away of cancer on September 13, 2021.
Services will be 2:00 pm, Friday, September 17, 2021 at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Watertown.
Visitation will be from 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm, with a prayer service at 7:30 pm., on Thursday, September 16, 2021 at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. Celebrants will be Fr. John Fischer and Fr. Mike Wensing.
Burial will be private.
Urn bearers are Marlin & Alyce Mennenga; Honorary Urn Bearers are Mike Keszler, Paul Greguson, Mike Luken, Roger Solum, Dean Sorenson, Carol Zillgitt and KXLG staff and family members.
Lectors are Jim Aesoph and David J. Law; and Ushers are Troy & Carol VanDusen
The family asks that memorials be directed to the Watertown Area Breast Cancer Support Group, 25 Third Ave SW, Watertown, SD 57201.
Robert Lynn Faehn was born on April 2, 1958 in Minneapolis, MN to Russell and LaVonne (Urevig) Faehn. The family moved to South Dakota in the early 1960’s and began farming near Wallace. Russell passed away in 1973. At
that time, Bob and his mother moved to Florence.
Bob graduated from Florence High School in 1976, and from Watertown Business University in
1978.
On June 16, 1979 Bob was united in marriage to Susie Geffre in Leola, SD.
Following his interest in media, Bob started his career at the Watertown Public Opinion in 1978,
where he sold ads by day, and wrote sports by night. He then worked for Watertown Home
Supply/Timmerman Woodworking until 1984 when he started at KSDR Radio in Watertown.
Over the years, he became the station manager, then owner, selling the stations in 2000. He
then worked for just shy of two years in the Sioux Falls radio market, where he had ownership
interest in three stations.
Bob started at Prairie Wave Communications in Watertown, later known as Knology, in 2002.
During that time, he also was elected to the South Dakota State House of Representatives.
Bob always spoke with pride about his two legislative highlights. The first, being the prime
sponsor of the bill that eliminated smoking in bars and restaurants in South Dakota, and also
being elected by his peers as the House Majority Leader during his last two years in the
legislature.
In 2009, Bob was able to move a new radio station license into the Watertown/Milbank area,
and built KXLG Radio, where he worked until health concerns forced him to retire in 2021.
Bob likely served on over a hundred boards and committees during his career. At the time of
his passing, he was the vice-chair of the South Dakota State Board of Technical Education. He
was also serving on the South Dakota Broadcaster’s Association Board of Directors, and the
Watertown Community Hall of Fame Committee, of which he founded. He was past-president
of the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce, the Watertown Area United Way, the South
Dakota Broadcasters Association, and also served on many other local boards like the Prairie
Lakes Hospital Board and Prairie Lakes Foundation Board, along with the Watertown
Community Foundation Board.
Bob is survived by his wife of 42 years, Susie, and their children. His son, Brent, and his wife
Samantha (Erickson) Faehn of Aberdeen, and their three children, Garrett, Ethan, and Kaylie.
His daughter, Lynne, and her husband Rodney Shankle of Sioux Falls, and their three children,
Braylon, Bryce, and Braxton. Bob is also survived by his mother-in-law, Joanne Geffre of Leola,
sister-in-laws, Kathy Geffre of Watertown and Patty Geffre of Denver, CO, brother-in-laws, John
Geffre of Lisbon, Maine, Tom Geffre of Denver, CO, Larry and Rebecca Geffre of Norman, OK and Jerry and
Vicki Geffre of Leola, SD. Numerous other cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, Fred & Emma Faehn, and Glenn
and Anna Urevig, all of the Wallace area, his father-in-law, Norbert Geffre and brother-in-law,
Mark Geffre both of Leola, along with several aunts, and uncles.
Services will be 2:00 pm, Friday, September 17, 2021 at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Watertown.
Visitation will be from 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm, with a prayer service at 7:30 pm., on Thursday, September 16, 2021 at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. Celebrants will be Fr. John Fischer and Fr. Mike Wensing.
Burial will be private.
Urn bearers are Marlin & Alyce Mennenga; Honorary Urn Bearers are Mike Keszler, Paul Greguson, Mike Luken, Roger Solum, Dean Sorenson, Carol Zillgitt and KXLG staff and family members.
Lectors are Jim Aesoph and David J. Law; and Ushers are Troy & Carol VanDusen
The family asks that memorials be directed to the Watertown Area Breast Cancer Support Group, 25 Third Ave SW, Watertown, SD 57201.
Robert Lynn Faehn was born on April 2, 1958 in Minneapolis, MN to Russell and LaVonne (Urevig) Faehn. The family moved to South Dakota in the early 1960’s and began farming near Wallace. Russell passed away in 1973. At
that time, Bob and his mother moved to Florence.
Bob graduated from Florence High School in 1976, and from Watertown Business University in
1978.
On June 16, 1979 Bob was united in marriage to Susie Geffre in Leola, SD.
Following his interest in media, Bob started his career at the Watertown Public Opinion in 1978,
where he sold ads by day, and wrote sports by night. He then worked for Watertown Home
Supply/Timmerman Woodworking until 1984 when he started at KSDR Radio in Watertown.
Over the years, he became the station manager, then owner, selling the stations in 2000. He
then worked for just shy of two years in the Sioux Falls radio market, where he had ownership
interest in three stations.
Bob started at Prairie Wave Communications in Watertown, later known as Knology, in 2002.
During that time, he also was elected to the South Dakota State House of Representatives.
Bob always spoke with pride about his two legislative highlights. The first, being the prime
sponsor of the bill that eliminated smoking in bars and restaurants in South Dakota, and also
being elected by his peers as the House Majority Leader during his last two years in the
legislature.
In 2009, Bob was able to move a new radio station license into the Watertown/Milbank area,
and built KXLG Radio, where he worked until health concerns forced him to retire in 2021.
Bob likely served on over a hundred boards and committees during his career. At the time of
his passing, he was the vice-chair of the South Dakota State Board of Technical Education. He
was also serving on the South Dakota Broadcaster’s Association Board of Directors, and the
Watertown Community Hall of Fame Committee, of which he founded. He was past-president
of the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce, the Watertown Area United Way, the South
Dakota Broadcasters Association, and also served on many other local boards like the Prairie
Lakes Hospital Board and Prairie Lakes Foundation Board, along with the Watertown
Community Foundation Board.
Bob is survived by his wife of 42 years, Susie, and their children. His son, Brent, and his wife
Samantha (Erickson) Faehn of Aberdeen, and their three children, Garrett, Ethan, and Kaylie.
His daughter, Lynne, and her husband Rodney Shankle of Sioux Falls, and their three children,
Braylon, Bryce, and Braxton. Bob is also survived by his mother-in-law, Joanne Geffre of Leola,
sister-in-laws, Kathy Geffre of Watertown and Patty Geffre of Denver, CO, brother-in-laws, John
Geffre of Lisbon, Maine, Tom Geffre of Denver, CO, Larry and Rebecca Geffre of Norman, OK and Jerry and
Vicki Geffre of Leola, SD. Numerous other cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, Fred & Emma Faehn, and Glenn
and Anna Urevig, all of the Wallace area, his father-in-law, Norbert Geffre and brother-in-law,
Mark Geffre both of Leola, along with several aunts, and uncles.