Irene Kusler Obituary

Wallace H Kusler

Obituaries

Irene Grenz

Irene died August 28, 2016 at Bowdle Nursing Home.
Irene Kusler was born May 26, 1927 to Christian and Margaret (Scherbenske) Grenz at rural Artas. She attended Hoffnungsfeldt (Knoepfle) School for her grade school education and graduated from Eureka High School. She was noted for her perfect attendance except for one day during all her school days. She taught at Hoffnungsfeldt (Schmidt) School for one term, 1945-1946. From 1946-1948 she was employed at the Grenz General Merchandise Store in Artas.
She married Wallace Kusler of Artas on November 27, 1947. They lived with her parents for a year and then lived on a farm northwest of Artas where they raised livestock and grain. They retired from farming in 1994 and moved to an apartment in Eureka in 2006. In 2013 they moved to Bowdle Nursing Home.

Irene was a helper on the farm, a wife, mother and homemaker. Many guests enjoyed meals and an overnight stay at their home. She was the Artas news correspondent for the Northwest Blade and Prairie Pioneer, and “Irene’s Kitchen Korner” for the Prairie Pioneer. She did volunteer work for various organizations, was a Youth Corp Supervisor, Citizenship Seminar Counselor, served as Secretary-Treasurer and committee woman of the Campbell County Republican party, served as secretary and woman’s chairman of the Campbell County Extension Homemaker’s, was on the Extension board, and a member of the Artas Prairie Homesteader’s Extension Club.
Irene was a member of the Artas Evangelical United Brethren Church where she taught Sunday school, sang in the choir, trios and duets and was a member of the Ladies Aide. When the church completed its mission, she became a member of First Baptist Church at Eureka, where she sang in the choir, ladies chorus and in smaller groups. She was a member of the Women’s Ministry Fellowship where she had served as President, Vice President and was on the program committee.

Those who will miss her cheerful attitude and smile include her husband, Wallace of Bowdle; two sons, Charles Kusler of Snellville, GA and Gaylon Kusler of Boston, KY; three daughters, Sandra Wanner of Forest Grove, OR, Marcy Crandall of Belleville, IL and Crystal Michaels of Eureka; three grandchildren, Nikki Wanner of Eureka, Tia (Paul) Hertel of Pierre and Nicole Scott of Cummings, GA and two great-grandchildren, Seneca Hertel of Pierre and Hunter Scott of Conyers, GA.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her brothers and sisters-in-law, Ernest (Ella) Grenz, George (Otillia “Tillie”) Grenz, Milbert (Frieda) Grenz and Samuel and John who died in infancy, sisters and brothers-in-law, Martha (Arthur E.) Knoepfle, Bertha (Edmund) Hulse, Edna (Arthur W.) Rohrbach, Esther (Herbert) Rohrbach and Ruth Grenz and son-in-law, Jason Michaels.

Wallace H. Kusler

Funeral services for Wallace Henry Kusler, 89, of Bowdle and formerly of Eureka will be 11:00 am, Monday, February 20, 2017 at First Baptist Church at Eureka. The Rev. Gary Bergman will officiate. Burial will be in Artas Cemetery.
Wallace died February 14, 2017 at Bowdle Nursing Home.

Wallace Henry Kusler was born August 6, 1927 on a farm two and a half miles west of Artas, SD in Campbell County to Jacob and Elizabeth (Fried) Kusler. He attended a rural grade school for five and a half years, then the family moved to a farm northwest of Artas and he finished grade school and one year of high school in Artas. Wallace graduated from Eureka High School. After graduation, he worked for area farmers and taught school for one term.

On November 27, 1947, Wallace married Irene Grenz. They lived and worked for Irene’s parents for one year and then bought his mother’s farm northwest of Artas, where they farmed until retirement in 1994. In 2006 Wallace and Irene moved to an apartment in Eureka and in 2013 they moved to Bowdle Nursing Home.

Wallace was a member of the Artas Evangelical United Brethren Church, where he served as Sunday School superintendent, teacher, financial secretary, sang in the choir, mixed quartet and sang solos. When the church completed its mission, he joined First Baptist Church at Eureka and was a member of the Men’s Brotherhood, served as deacon, usher, and assistant financial secretary. Wallace also sang in the choir, men’s chorus, men’s quartet, duets and solos.

He served his community by being clerk of the Artas School, Artas Cemetery Board, Campbell County Extension Board and Campbell County Soil Conservation Supervisor for 32 years. Wallace was also the precinct committee man for the Republican Party and was president of the Campbell County Farm Bureau.

He is survived by his children, Charles Kusler, Gaylon Kusler, Sandra Wanner, Marcy Crandall and Crystal Michaels; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Wallace was preceded in death by his parents, wife, two brothers and sisters-in-law,
Eugene (Bertha) Kusler and Ruben (Frieda) Kusler, five sisters and three brothers-in-law, Elle (George) Reynolds, Martha Vitalis, Pauline (Earl) Hollenberg, Erdmuth “Erdie” (Harvey) Delzer and Edna who died at an early age and son-in-law, Jason Michaels.