Clifford “Cliff” Dale Kannegieter, age 80 of Watertown, SD, passed away peacefully on January 13, 2020 at his home in Gold Canyon, AZ.
Funeral services will be 10:30 am, Saturday, January 18, 2020 at the First United Methodist Church in Watertown, SD.
Visitation will be from 5-7:00 pm, Friday, January 17, 2020 at Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown, SD.
Burial will be at a later date with military honors at the Collins Cemetery in Willow Lake, SD.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Cliff’s remaining grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Active pallbearers will be Coleman Roskam, Sam Venjohn, Jon Lawrence, Dan Lawrence, Matt Nelson, Tim Summerer, Dylan Kessler and Robert Sylvester.
Clifford Dale Kannegieter was born to Arthur and Olive (Shurr) Kannegieter on May 7, 1939 in Willow Lake, SD. Cliff was baptized in the Presbyterian Church in Willow Lake. He attended school in Willow Lake, graduating in 1957. Cliff served in the United States Army from October of 1957 until his honorable discharge in October of 1958. On September 6, 1959 Cliff married Marlene Warkenthien. The couple lived and farmed near Willow Lake. Three daughters, Kristi, Kelli, and Kari were born to this union. Marlene Kannegieter passed away May 14, 1979.
Cliff married Carol Kenney on July 16, 1983 in Watertown, SD. The couple lived in Watertown, SD and Gold Canyon, AZ.
Cliff was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Watertown and Gold Canyon United Methodist Church in Gold Canyon. He was also a member of the Lions Club. He was a man of many talents, from playing piano and banjo by ear, singing in barbershop quartets, crafting stained glass art pieces, as well as building a boat and a one-of-a-kind wooden car.
Cliff expressed over his life how blessed he was to be able to pursue his life’s passion of farming and enjoyed taking drives to look at crops and talk to neighbors until his last days. He and Carol enjoyed many travels over the years, and he was grateful to have seen the world.
Cliff is survived by his wife, Carol; his children, Kristi Kay (Brad) Nelson, Kelli Ann (Dave) Venjohn all of Sioux Falls, and Kari Loy (Chad) Roskam of Baldwin, WI; his stepchildren, Brenda Lawrence of Watertown, Cheryl (Mary Louis Brozena) of Portsmouth, NH, Michael (Rita) Kenney of Hot Springs, AR, and Richard (Lanie) Kenney of Box Elder; 14 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Lois Monahan of Watertown and Nola Goodman of Sydney, MT; sisters-in-law Crystal Kannegieter, Barbara Warkenthien and Roberta Warkenthien all of Willow Lake; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Marlene Kannegieter; grandson, Raliegh J Nelson; his siblings, Harold, Marlyn, and Ruth Bastian; brothers-in-law, Gene Monahan, Buzz Bastian, Lee Goodman, Elver Warkenthien, Elwood Warkenthien, Myron Moore, Norris Hanson, and Merl Almont; sisters-in-law Elwanda Moore, Phyllis Hanson and Arlys Almont.
Arrangements by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel, www.wightandcomes.com