Obituary for Jerry Langenfeld
Jerry Langenfeld, age 78, of Watertown, SD, passed away of natural causes on Thursday, January 9, 2020.
A wake will be held, with family present, on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 from 5 to 7 p.m. (scripture service at 6:30 p.m.) at Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Watertown, with Father Richard Fox officiating.
Military Honors will be conducted by the U.S. Navy Funeral Honors Team of Sioux Falls and the American Legion Post 17 of Watertown.
Interment will be a private ceremony at St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Honorary pallbearers will be Tyler Langenfeld, David Langenfeld, Jr., Ashley Damberger, Austin Hart, Rei Hoops, Elle Hoops, Surreal Sky Sessions Langenfeld and Kyran Damberger.
Jerry was born on April 19, 1941 to William P. and Marie E. (Woolven) Langenfeld in Watertown, South Dakota. He grew up in Watertown, attending Immaculate Conception elementary school and graduating from Watertown High School. He later graduated with a 4.0 GPA in Recreational Equipment Sales and Management from Brainerd Vo-Tech.
As a young man, Jerry was a route driver, delivering Langenfeld’s Ice Cream to customers located along South Dakota Highway 1804 north of Pierre. He proudly served in the United States Navy stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois. After leaving the military, he joined law enforcement, serving as a police officer in Pierre, Aberdeen and Hot Springs. An avid hunting and fishing enthusiast, Jerry excelled in sporting good sales. Returning to Watertown, he worked for Walt’s Place, which he later purchased and rebranded as North Country Guns & Tackle, moving the store to Kemp Street in downtown Watertown. He lived in Washington and Idaho for many years and returned to Watertown to be near family. In recent years, he could be heard telling animated hunting and fishing stories at the Cowboy Bait & Ammo Store.
Jerry loved reading books, especially about World War II and South Dakota history. His years of travel across the country, driving from Florida to Alaska, meant he could pinpoint any national landmark along a U.S. highway. “Get a map!” he would say. Jerry was a great storyteller and had a nickname for everyone. Do you know yours?
Jerry is survived by his children, Richard Langenfeld (Donna Schott) of Britton, SD, David (Jennifer) Langenfeld of Boise, ID, Debbie (Dave) Langenfeld Hoops of Huron, SD and Amy Zimerman of Seattle, WA; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; his siblings, Linda (Joel) Johns of Watertown, SD, David “D.J.” (Kay) Langenfeld of LaBolt, SD, Mary Lynn Wrage of Watertown, SD and Barb (Jim) Aarstad of Watertown, SD.
He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant sister, and brother-in-law, Dr. Ted Wrage.
In lieu of flowers, memorials would be preferred.
Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel serving the family -www.wightandcomes.com.
A wake will be held, with family present, on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 from 5 to 7 p.m. (scripture service at 6:30 p.m.) at Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Watertown, with Father Richard Fox officiating.
Military Honors will be conducted by the U.S. Navy Funeral Honors Team of Sioux Falls and the American Legion Post 17 of Watertown.
Interment will be a private ceremony at St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Honorary pallbearers will be Tyler Langenfeld, David Langenfeld, Jr., Ashley Damberger, Austin Hart, Rei Hoops, Elle Hoops, Surreal Sky Sessions Langenfeld and Kyran Damberger.
Jerry was born on April 19, 1941 to William P. and Marie E. (Woolven) Langenfeld in Watertown, South Dakota. He grew up in Watertown, attending Immaculate Conception elementary school and graduating from Watertown High School. He later graduated with a 4.0 GPA in Recreational Equipment Sales and Management from Brainerd Vo-Tech.
As a young man, Jerry was a route driver, delivering Langenfeld’s Ice Cream to customers located along South Dakota Highway 1804 north of Pierre. He proudly served in the United States Navy stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois. After leaving the military, he joined law enforcement, serving as a police officer in Pierre, Aberdeen and Hot Springs. An avid hunting and fishing enthusiast, Jerry excelled in sporting good sales. Returning to Watertown, he worked for Walt’s Place, which he later purchased and rebranded as North Country Guns & Tackle, moving the store to Kemp Street in downtown Watertown. He lived in Washington and Idaho for many years and returned to Watertown to be near family. In recent years, he could be heard telling animated hunting and fishing stories at the Cowboy Bait & Ammo Store.
Jerry loved reading books, especially about World War II and South Dakota history. His years of travel across the country, driving from Florida to Alaska, meant he could pinpoint any national landmark along a U.S. highway. “Get a map!” he would say. Jerry was a great storyteller and had a nickname for everyone. Do you know yours?
Jerry is survived by his children, Richard Langenfeld (Donna Schott) of Britton, SD, David (Jennifer) Langenfeld of Boise, ID, Debbie (Dave) Langenfeld Hoops of Huron, SD and Amy Zimerman of Seattle, WA; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; his siblings, Linda (Joel) Johns of Watertown, SD, David “D.J.” (Kay) Langenfeld of LaBolt, SD, Mary Lynn Wrage of Watertown, SD and Barb (Jim) Aarstad of Watertown, SD.
He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant sister, and brother-in-law, Dr. Ted Wrage.
In lieu of flowers, memorials would be preferred.
Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel serving the family -www.wightandcomes.com.