Ernest L. "Buzz" Nisich, age 81, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at Watertown Care & Rehab Center.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m., Monday, October 15, 2018 at St. Martin's Lutheran Church in Watertown with Pastor Paul Janke officiating. Music will be furnished by vocalists, Joey and LaDonna Koustrup and Danielle Koustrup Wientjes, Carol Janke as organist and Pastor John Carter as guitarist.

Visitation will be from 12:00-2:00 p.m., Sunday at the Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel.

Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery, Watertown, SD.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Ernest's grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Active Pallbearers will be Brandon Nisich, Dustin Spaniol, Joey Swenson, Francis Sehnert, Bruce Boeder, Jeff Boeder and Allen Schanbeck.

Ernest Leslie Nisich was born to George and Fern (Putnum) Nisich on July 5, 1937 in Florence, SD. He grew up in the Bradley, SD area and attended Maydell 43 Country School until the eighth grade when he went to help on the family farm. On August 9, 1959 he married Arlys I. Kannas in Watertown and they had four children, Roxy, Sandra, Dawn and Tim. Buzz drove truck for Building Products for 27 years and worked for DC Machining for 14 years. He also mowed grass at the airport for seven years and then mowed grass for Watertown Park & Rec Dept. until ill health forced him to quit.

Buzz loved hunting and fishing with his son Tim, mowing lawns, making wooden toys and loved spending time with his family, grandkids and great-grandkids.

Ernest is survived by his wife, Arlys of 59 years; his children, Roxy Spaniol of Watertown, Sandra (Jerald) Swenson of Huron, and Dawn Nisich Larson and Tim (Amy) Nisich of Watertown; his brother, Orlyn (Sue) Nisich of Kenosha, WI; two sisters, Minnie Cox Laudonio of Kenosha, WI, and Gwen (Jerald) Schultz of Watertown; nine grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; and his nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Glen.